World Interest in Troy

World Interest in Troy

The first book ever published in the English language was “The Recuyell of the Histories of Troy”, by William Caxton in about 1471-75. 300 copies were printed. This was a translation from the 1464 French version by Raoul Le Fevre. The Troy story was popular around Europe in Medieval times. The 40,000 line poem “Le Roman de Troie” (The Romance of Troy), written by the French poet Benoit de Sainte-Maure between 1155 and 1160, was a medieval retelling on the epic theme of the Trojan War. This work was the main source for “Historia destructionis Troiae” (History of the destruction of Troy) in Latin by the Sicilian writer Guido delle Colonne in 1287.

Moving from books to sculpture, scenes from the Trojan War featured on the frieze blocks of temples in Greek and Roman times, as at Delphi (pre-525 BC), the Parthenon, and the Temple of Apollo at Chryse near Troy. Of the innumerable Troy-influenced examples of pottery, the most famous is the “Mykonos vase” from the Archaic period(ca. 670 BC) which actually shows the Trojan Horse. Throughout history, there have been many sculptures depicting episodes during the Trojan War. One of them is “Laocoon and his sons” by the sculptors Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus, now in the Vatican. In June 2006, “Sand City” opened at Lara Beach, Antalya, Turkey with the theme “Legends of Anatolia”. As part of the “International Antalya Sand Sculpture Festival”, some of theimpressive compositions portrayed Troy and the Trojan War. Erdinc Bakla produced a series of striking stylized sculptures with his interpretation of Troy that were exhibited in Canakkale in 2008). One of them is on permanent display next to the Cluster of Troyabilia (wooden horse, Troy models, sun clock) on the waterfront at Canakkale.

Similarly, the theme has attracted the attention of artists throughout the ages. El Greco’s painting in 1610-1614 depicts the deaths of Laocoon and his two sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus being strangled by sea serpents sent by Poseidon. The “Laocoon” canvas by El Greco is, of course, a reinterpretation, deliberately breaking away from the balance and harmony of Renaissance art with a strong emotional atmosphere and distorted figures. The Trojan War is the subject of 11 tapestries that were made in Tournai, France in 1475-1490, of which three survive, showing Queen Penthesilea with her Amazon warriors and a battle between the Amazons and the Greeks.

Turkish artists have also touched upon the theme of Troy, notably Ruhcan Akil, whose striking horse-headed nudes were exhibited in Canakkale in 1994. He has since continued with exhibitions of Troy paintings in Istanbul. The Troy Culture-Art Awards (Troya Kultur-Sanat Odul) have been given every year since 1993 in Canakkale to those working in different media, including Ruhcan Akil. An exhibition of 10 oil paintings and 19 drawings by Betul Serbest Yilmaz under the title “Troy and Laocoon” (Troia ve Laocoon) opened in Canakkale in October 2010.

After the worldwide success of choreographer and artistic director Mustafa Erdogan’s show “Fire of Anatolia” (Anadolu Ates), he prepared an offshoot entitled “Troya, an Anatolian Legend” (Troya Bir Anadolu Efsanesi) which opened in Istanbul in April 2008 to rapturous applause. The “Troya” show has since toured around Europe with its 120-strong team through Germany, the Netherlands and Budapest. “Troya,” blends modern dance, ballet and traditional folk dances set to a score by Yucel Arzen that recounts a 3,000-year segment of Anatolia’s history, taking Homer’s legend of Troy as its starting point.

In the world of theater, the outstanding work is the tragedy “The Trojan Women” by the Greek playwrightEuripides, first performed in 415 BC. The play tells the story of four Trojan women (Hecuba, Cassandra, Andromache,Helen) who have lost their husbands in the Trojan War. This play was the third in a trilogy by Euripides dealing with the Trojan War (the first, “Alexandros”, was about Paris, the second about Palamedes). The “Trojan Women”(Troyalı Kadınlar) has been performed several times in Canakkale as part of the annual Troy Festival and the occasional Assos Athena Festival, at least once in Greek. The Euripides play makes a universal statement about war and is adaptable to other times and locations. While France was fighting a war in Algeria, Jean-Paul Sartre produced a version called “Les Troyennes” in 1965. Other versions based on the play include a 1963 Mexican film, “Las Troyanas”, directed by Sergio Vejar, the 1971 film “The Trojan Women” directed by Mihalis Kakogiannis starring Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Genevieve Bujold, and Irene Papas, and many other productions.

It is interesting the things that Troy inspires. In September 2009, 140 people in 36 planes from 7 different countries flew into Canakkale Airport as part of a “Fly to Troy” project organized by Istanbul Aviation Club.

If you were to ask “How many cities or towns in the US are named after Troy?”, the answer would be more than 20. Here they are: Troy, Alabama, Troy, Idaho, Troy, Illinois, Troy Grove, Illinois, Troy, Indiana, Troy Mills, Iowa, Troy, Kansas, Troy, Maine, Troy, Michigan, New Troy, Michigan, Troy, Missouri, Troy, Montana, Troy, New Hampshire, Troy, New York, Troy, North Carolina, Troy, Ohio, Troy, Pennsylvania, Troy, South Carolina, Troy, Tennessee, Troy, Texas, Troy, Vermont, North Troy, Vermont, Troy, Virginia, Troy, West Virginia, and East Troy, Wisconsin.

“Troy” is a popular name in the USA. The name has ranked among the top thousand most popular boy's names every decade since 1880 – and within the top 300 through 2000-2006 - and is also a girl’s first name (not quite so high in the rankings). It is also a surname arising from a location. Contrary to conjecture, in its various forms - Troy, Troye, Troyes, Troys – the name originated in the city of “Troyes” in France and was introduced into England by French migrants after the Norman Conquest in 1066, later making its way across the Atlantic. “Troyes” apparently means “descendant of the foot soldier”.

If you were to ask how many places there are called “Troia”, the answer would be quite a lot, including a once-minor settlement on the River Thames given the name “Troia Newydd” or “Caer Troia” or “Troia Nova” (New Troy), later changed to “Londinium”.