false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171225811m/91023.jpg 91023 4 The Trojan War is the most famous conflict in history, the subject of Homer's <I>Iliad</i>, one of the cornerstones of Western literature. Although many readers know that this literary masterwork is based on actual events, there is disagreement about how much of Homer's tale is true. Drawing on recent archeological research, historian and classicist Barry Strauss explains what really happened in Troy more than 3,000 years ago.<P>For many years it was thought that Troy was an insignificant place that never had a chance against the Greek warriors who laid siege and overwhelmed the city. In the old view, the conflict was decided by duels between champions on the plain of Troy. Today we know that Troy was indeed a large and prosperous city, just as Homer said. The Trojans themselves were not Greeks but vassals of the powerful Hittite Empire to the east in modern-day Turkey, and they probably spoke a Hittite-related language called Luwian. The Trojan War was most likely the culmination of a long feud over power, wealth, and honor in western Turkey and the offshore islands. The war itself was mainly a low-intensity conflict, a series of raids on neighboring towns and lands. It seems unlikely that there was ever a siege of Troy; rather some sort of trick -- perhaps involving a wooden horse -- allowed the Greeks to take the city.<P>Strauss shows us where Homer nods, and sometimes exaggerates and distorts, as well. He puts the Trojan War into the context of its time, explaining the strategies and tactics that both sides used, and compares the war to contemporary battles elsewhere in the eastern Mediterranean. With his vivid reconstructions of the conflict and his insights into the famous characters and events of Homer's great epic, Strauss masterfully tells the story of the fall of Troy as history without losing the poetry and grandeur that continue to draw readers to this ancient tale. 2800854 12 9 2006 The Trojan War: A New History total:60|5:12|4:22|3:20|2:5|1:1| 60 219 111 20 5 1 false false Fri Sep 07 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Mar 12 18:27:10 -0700 2008 Wed Mar 12 18:49:13 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 19 08:11:01 -0800 2007 Wed Dec 19 08:11:17 -0800 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Fri Jul 10 10:51:30 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 10 10:52:36 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed May 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 18:32:43 -0700 2009 Mon May 25 18:37:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat May 03 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri May 02 11:59:37 -0700 2008 Mon May 12 20:58:05 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 27 14:07:08 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 17 05:46:12 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 16 05:13:09 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 04:29:41 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Feb 26 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 09:03:13 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 09:03:13 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Tue Mar 17 11:10:34 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 17 11:12:50 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Sun Aug 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 09 12:19:22 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 17 05:15:03 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 15 15:02:54 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 15 15:05:22 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Sep 08 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Sep 02 10:17:52 -0700 2008 Mon Sep 08 18:55:50 -0700 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Fri Apr 04 13:58:51 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 04 14:01:35 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Mar 02 21:06:07 -0800 2008 Sun Mar 02 21:09:54 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sat Jan 05 05:27:50 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 06 07:58:14 -0800 2008 4 0 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Aug 23 15:29:23 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 23 15:34:02 -0700 2008 2 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sun Sep 28 15:13:24 -0700 2008 Tue Dec 16 11:59:36 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Fri Aug 29 14:14:16 -0700 2008 Tue Aug 26 10:42:58 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 29 14:14:16 -0700 2008 5 0 false false Tue May 20 13:12:40 -0700 2008 Tue May 20 13:14:41 -0700 2008 3 0 false false Wed Jul 16 04:33:11 -0700 2008 Wed May 07 04:02:12 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 16 04:33:11 -0700 2008 so far, a very good story without the soap opera.]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=91023