The Trojan War

(Paperback)

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Non-fiction thriller about the infamous Ancient War Did the Trojan War really happen Spectacular new archaeological evidence suggests that it did. Recent excavations and newly translated Hittite texts reveal that Troy was a large, wealthy city allied with the Hittite Empire. Located at the strategic entrance to the Dardanelles, the link between the Aegean and Black Sea, it was a tempting target for marauding Greeks, the Vikings of the Bronze Age. The Trojan War may have been the inevitable consequence of expanding Greek maritime commerce. Written by a leading expert on ancient military history, the true story of the most famous battle in history is every bit as compelling as Homer's epic account - and confirms many of its details. In The Trojan War, master storyteller Barry Strauss puts legend into its historical context, without losing its poetry and grandeur.

Reviews

Imaginative, sympathetic and plausible -- Bettany Hughes
An exciting tale written in a lively style that brings Homer's heroes and the world in which they lived to vibrant and colourful life -- Donald Kagan
Strauss's brilliant interweaving of the mythic and the modern archaeological records makes for exhilarating [...] reading * The Scotsman *
Consumed in one of those burning-the-midnight-oil situations... I really enjoyed it -- Michael Wood
A military epic of the first order, weaving together fact and fiction in a beguiling tapestry of blood, guts, gore - and terrible feminine beauty -- Paul Cartledge, professor of Greek History, Cambridge University

Author Bio

Barry S. Strauss is Professor of History and Classics at Cornell University and an expert in Military History. He is the author of nine books, frequently contributes to Washington Post, L.A. Times, and Newsday and is often interviewed by the BBC. He holds Cornell's Clark Distinguished Teaching Award.