The Trojan War: why does a legendary conflict that took place thousands of years ago continue to inspire contemporary literature, film media, video games, and more? This class dives into that question in order to understand the cultural richness—and surprising, continuing relevance—of the ancient and medieval world. Specific topics include the early history of archaeology in the eastern Mediterranean; ancient Greek poetic traditions associated with the clash between Achaeans and Trojans; and the late antique and medieval accounts of defeated Trojan refugees that serve as an ideological basis for concepts of nation and ethnicity.
