Homer's Iliad: Historical Facts Of The Trojan War

The Trojan War was an epic siege between Greek and Trojan forces that occurred within the Bronze Age, spanning through the 12 and 13 century, approximately 1250 BCE. Homer's Iliad is a poetic version of the events, incorporating historical and mythical aspects into the epic poem. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the 2004 film, supposedly "inspired" by the text of the Iliad, excluded the religious notions of the time period and was instead an over-dramatized war movie that altered historical facts. Because the historical facts of the Trojan War are based on the "myths" of the Iliad, it is difficult to record the events with total accuracy, leaving much of the history up to these written myths. Some historical facts presented in the film are as follows: Achilles fought for the Greeks but was unpredictable and moody (refusing to fight after Agamemnon took away his slave and killing Hector after the death of his cousin, Patroclus, who died in battle dressed as Achilles). Troy includes the important scene when Hector's father, King Priam of Troy, …show more content…
Historically, Menelaus did not die during the Trojan War. Another misinformed aspect of the film is Achilles' supposed "cousin," Patroclus. According to classical history and myth, Patroclus was, in fact, Achilles' lover. While his disguise of Achilles did lead to his death, the facts behind his character were misconstrued in the film Troy. Another falsity in the film is in the realm of religion. Petersen, the director of the film, did not incorporate the influence of the Gods in the decisions made by the Greek leaders. The Gods were a major factor in Greek society, but the film mentioned them on a limited scale. The names and dates are generally accurate. Although the movie is in many places inaccurate, it does not add fictional characters to the story or give specific