Troy is a Phrygian city in northwestern Asia Minor in the region called the Troad. The people are called Trojans, and Troy was perhaps best known for the Trojan War. Troy is perhaps best known for it’s part in the war. It was prompted by a young woman named Helen.
It was said that Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world. Because of this she had many men asking to be her suitor. Helen later married a man named Menelaus who happened to be the brother of her sister’s husband Agamemnon.
A young Trojan prince named Paris had been promised the hand of Helen from Aphrodite. Aphrodite agreed to grant him that wish becuase he had chosen her as the most beautiful goddess. Paris then went and kidnapped the woman Helen and took her off to Troy. Paris refused to return Helen, and as a result Menelaus and his men marched on to Troy and war.
This war lasted 10 years and in that time the young prince Paris was killed by the archer Philoctetes.
Helen was now forced to marry his brother Deiphobus. It is important to note that Helen was very happy with Menelaus and never wanted to be taken to Troy at all.
Throughout this time it was thought by Menelaus that Helen was a traitor. Nearing the end of the 10 years he was searching the castle in order to find and kill her. Upon finding her, he sees her stab her “husband,” and realizes that she had no plan in this (it was because of the spell of Aphrodite).
Menelaus rescued his wife and took her home. With the aid of Zeus and Apollo she was kept safe and returned to her family.
Location of Troy:
Northwestern Asia Minor in the region called the Troad; off the coast of what is now Turkey.
Citizens of Troy:
Citizens of Troy were called Trojans.
Royalty of Troy:
King Priam Queen Hecuba Prince Paris
Allies of the Trojans:
Ascanians Amazons Lycians Eastern Ethiopians
Other Names for Troy:
Illium, Ilion, Ilios
Time of Troy:
About 3200 years ago