The Value And Limitations Of Homer's Account Of The Trojan War

Assess the value and limitations of Homer’s account of the Trojan War.

Despite Homer’s account of the Trojan war having unsupported evidence for various elements, it is still a valuable piece of writing. His mentionings of Greek gods and goddesses and the Trojan horse have yet to be baked up by evidence, but his account itself is an important text as it tells us about the Trojan War. Although evidence of the existence of the war is there within other ancient writings, Homers’ account is one that expands extensively on it, making it a useful source for historians. There have been many findings of archaeological and written evidence which support Homers’ account of the Trojan war such as the Hittite tablets, inscriptions and the layers. Still,

Archaeologists have found a potential site for Troy, and its layer’s findings have proven similar to various elements of Homer’s account of the Trojan war. Specifically levels 6H and 7A, both have had the most relevant archaeological findings. Within level 6H they found ‘magnificent fortresses, strong stone walls and towers, monumental palace’. A similar description was found in Homers’ account, as he describes Troy as ‘well-founded’, ‘strongly built’, and ‘well-walled’, making several references to towers and ‘high’ and ‘steep’ walls. Layer 7Ahad pottery within it, with Mycanean designs inscribed upon them. Historians believe that due to the extensive period of time in which they fought, both layers, 6H and 7A, could both be the layers that Troy was standing upon. This means that homers account of the trojan is valuable as it has supporting evidence such as th4 layers. Other archaeological finds at the site such as arrowheads which were also mentioned as a weapon in Homer’s account, further, prove that there is truth within his Illiad. As a result, although there are various elements that have supported evidence, Homers’ account of Troy is still a valuable and useful source to