Troy and Pergamon (another “Acropolis”)

Our day started with a short drive from our lodgings in Çanakkale to the archaeological site of the ancient city of Troy. (Everywhere we go, red poppies are in bloom!)

Anatolian people built a fortified city at the site of Troy around 3000 BC. It was a wealthy city that flourished due to its strategic position on key maritime and land trade routes between Asia and Europe. Following frequent destruction by earthquakes, war and fire, the city was repeatedly rebuilt in the same spot.

There are at least nine distinct archaeological layers (noted by Roman numerals). The Troy VII layer is often linked to the Trojan War—thought to be around 1300–1180 BC. There has been no definitive archaeological evidence of the Trojan War, only accounts in literature (Homer) and other writings, supported by evidence of scattered human remains and weapons. Homer’s account of the war being fought over Helen is widely confirmed as a myth, and the war likely didn’t last ten years either.

One of the reasons it took until the 1870s for archaeologists to discover Troy was that it didn’t match with prior descriptions of its location at the coastline. Millennia of seismic activity has reshaped the landscape, moving the Dardanelles 30 km away.

By the way, the first excavator of Troy was not a trained archaeologist. Heinrich Schliemann was a businessman and an amateur archaeologist obsessed with the stories of Homer and ancient Mediterranean civilizations. We saw where he dug straight-line trenches at Troy, tearing down whatever was in the way! So, while he is credited with validating the historical aspects of Homeric tales, he was criticized for his amateur, destructive methods.

Our tour company has skillfully orchestrated a succession of half-day tours among a range of travelers. We have had a rotating group of passengers along with us—a few on the same track as we are, and some not. Group sizes have usually been fewer than 10.

After this morning’s visit to Troy, only the two of us were carrying on to Pergamon. Lunch (and a sales pitch) was at a women’s rug co-op. We enjoyed watching the process of creating silk thread from silkworm cocoons, and the delicious food, but we did not make any purchases (we did leave a donation).

Pergamon’s Acropolis (“high city”) is perched on a steep mountainside and reached by a cable car (nice change from our minibus!). It
is an ancient city much like the Acropolis in Athens, with partially-restored ruins from the 4th century BC. Highlights include the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Athena, a vast library and a steep, 10,000-seat theater built into the hillside.Read more