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2026-07-27 23:01:30

This Was Not A Fictional City: Is There Physical Evidence Of The Trojan War? This Hittite Tablet Suggests So

Public DomainA 17th-century depiction of the burning of Troy by Dutch painter Dirk Verhaert.Stories from ancient Greece are often filled with extraordinary tales of gods and giants. But could some of these stories be true?For centuries, historians have debated the veracity of the documented stories of ancient Greece. While there are some texts that appear to be recording the civilizations history to the best of the writers abilities, there are others that are clearly fictional but that may be referencing actual historical events.One of the topics of the fiercest scholarly debate in this regard is the Trojan War. Given that its referenced in Homers Iliad and Odyssey, sorting out fact from fiction is incredibly difficult, with historians limited to the comparatively small amount of archeological and written evidence that remains.Still, there are a few pieces of archeological evidence that make the validity of the Trojan War hard for some to deny. For example, a Hittite cuneiform tablet may hold the key to understanding what really happened and what is likely a myth.The Hittite Tablet That May Reference The Trojan WarAs Christopher Nolans The Odyssey takes over the box office, social media has been filled with discussions of the Trojan War. One such conversation has centered on a Hittite tablet, which TikTok user and amateur historian Sarah (@artemiscollective) recently discussed in a video with over 114,000 views.Sarahs version of the story is similar to one often shared around the internet: A Hittite tablet recorded a political relationship between two ancient kings and, with a close reading, may provide evidence that the Trojan War really occurred.The Alaksandu Treaty is generally dated to the 13th century B.C.E., during the reign of Hittite king Muwatalli II. The treaty itself is directed at a king named Alaksandu and references a city called Wilusa.The Trustees of the British MuseumA Hittite tablet that mentions Wilusa. Turkey, c. 1300 B.C.E.While these names may seem unfamiliar, historians think that they could be referencing known locations. For example, Wilusa may be the city of Troy. The name Wilusa could be related to Wilios, the older form of Homers name for Troy, Ilios.There is evidence, both in this Hittite tablet and elsewhere, for the existence of Wilusa and its king, Alaksandu. This name could provide another key: It resembles the Greek Alexandros, another name for the Trojan prince Paris, though there is no direct evidence that Alaksandu was the historical Paris.Other Hittite documents reference a people called Ahhiyawa. These could have been the Mycenaean Greeks potentially, Homers Achaeans.Other Evidence Supporting The Existence Of The Trojan WarThese documents do not prove the existence of the Trojan War. That said, they show that individual parts of the story may be real, or at least based on actual people and places. To date, archeologists have discovered significant evidence that Troy was a real place and that something happened there. Beyond that, however, things are a bit of a mystery.Archeologists have discovered a large fortified city that clearly experienced conflict. There is evidence that inhabitants prepared for danger, specifically by storing provisions. There is also evidence of burnt buildings, human remains, arrowheads, and sling stones.Bgabel/Wikimedia CommonsThe ruins of the ancient city in Turkey that archaeologists believe to be Troy.However, this only suggests that a conflict likely took place in the city. It does not mean that the Trojan War took place as described or even occurred at all. Proving the Trojan War as it has been mythologized would require many additional discoveries.For example, written evidence of the Trojan War is essentially non-existent. There is no contemporary account of a Greek siege, nor are there any inscriptions naming Achilles, Hector, Priam, Helen, or Agamemnon.Physical evidence of the war especially in the way that it has been described is also lacking. There are no signs of Greek encampment, no identifiable mass grave of Greek attackers, no evidence for a literal Trojan horse, and no records that suggest any siege lasted for 10 years.This is not to say that the Trojan War definitively did not happen. Rather, it just means that, if the event did occur, it could have been significantly different from how it was later described by storytellers. Further archeological discoveries, if they emerge, can shed light on how stark this difference is and provide even more insight into this historic tale. @artemiscollective Archaeological Evidence of the Trojan War | Troy was real. Archaeologists have identified its ruins at Hisarlk in modern Turkey. But a group of 13th-century BC Hittite records may connect that real Bronze Age city to the Troy remembered by Homer. The Hittites called the city Wilusa, a name that corresponds linguistically to Wilios, the earlier form of Homers Ilios. One surviving treaty names its ruler as Alaksandu, a name corresponding to the Greek Alexandros, which also happens to be the formal name of the Trojan prince Paris. Other Hittite documents describe military action involving Wilusa and a past conflict with the Ahhiyawa, a people associated with the Mycenaean Greeks, or Homers Achaeans. None of this proves that Homers Trojan War happened. It does, however, place a city corresponding to Troy inside the real world of the Late Bronze Age. And the treaty fragment that preserves part of this story? It is now in the British Museum, where it is currently not on display. Sources: Wilusa. Madain Project. Accessed 2026. A Hittite Treaty with Wilusa. Anistor: Greek and World History. Accessed 2026. What Did the Hittites Write About the Trojan War? The Collector. July 9, 2025. Digging Up Troy. Laphams Quarterly. March 31, 2017. In Search of Troy. Smithsonian Magazine. February 18, 2022. Troy: The Real Bronze Age Citadel Beneath Homers Iliad. The Dark Atlas. May 19, 2026. When Was the Trojan War? Finding Legendary Troy in History. The Collector. May 18, 2025. Why Did the World End in 1200 BCE? Ancient Near East Today. December 20, 2024. #ancienthistory #ancientgreece #greekmythology #odyssey #historytok Stoic Solitude Sabedoria After reading about the Hittite tablet that may reference the Trojan War, learn about the recently discovered lost Trojan city of Tenea. And to learn more about the impact of Homers stories, journey to the possible sanctuary of Odysseus located on the Greek island of Ithaca.The post This Was Not A Fictional City: Is There Physical Evidence Of The Trojan War? This Hittite Tablet Suggests So appeared first on All That's Interesting.

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