![[Mykonos_vase.jpg]] *The earliest known depiction of the Trojan Horse, from the 2,700 year old [Mykonos vase](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mykonos_vase "Mykonos vase").* The [Trojan War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_War) was for a long time considered a myth of the ancient Greeks. After the discovery of Troy at the end of the 19th century, the story told by Homer is believed to correspond to evidence of violent destruction of the city and its walls about 3,230 years ago. Troy would have been part of a Hittite ally or vassal state called Wilusa (possibly its capital, since Wilusa is linguistically similar to the Greek Ilios). The war featured the use of bronze arms and armor as well as bronze chariots, which were well-known in the Hittite empire. Their opponents, according to legend, were an alliance of Greeks called Achaeans led by the city state of Mycenae. The Mycenaeans had begun rising to prominence about 3,600 years ago in a region of the Greek mainland about 75 miles from Athens. By 3,400 years ago Mycenae dominated the Aegean Sea, controlled Crete after the fall of the Minoans, and established trade with Egypt, the Hittites, and the Levant. It would make sense that if a coalition of Greeks made war on Troy, Mycenae would probably lead them. ----- Next: [[4.21 - Battle of Kadesh]] Back: [[4.19 - Hittites]]