TROY

n.

or Ilium

Ancient city in Troas , northwestern Anatolia.

It holds an enduring place in both literature and archaeology. In literature, it is well known as the location of the Trojan War . The archaeological site, a huge mound at modern Hisarl 0131; k on the Menderes (Scamander) River, was first excavated by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann (1870–90). It consists of nine major layers dating from the Neolithic Period to Roman times ( 0441; 3000 BC–4th century AD). Whether it is the actual city of Homer is still debated. In Greek legend, the city was besieged and finally destroyed by the Greeks after a 10-year siege. The heroes of Troy were identified by Schliemann with the Mycenaean s of the Greek Bronze Age, placing the war at 0441; 1200 BC. Its story is told in Homer 's Iliad and Odyssey and in Virgil 's Aeneid .