History of Trojan War in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 17, 2026

The Trojan War, a central event in Greek mythology and epic tradition, was fought between the Greeks and the city of Troy. According to Homer’s Iliad, the conflict was ignited when Paris, a Trojan prince, abducted Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. This prompted a massive Greek coalition led by Agamemnon to besiege Troy for ten years. Famous figures such as Achilles, Hector, and Odysseus played pivotal roles in the bloody struggle. The war reached its climax when the Greeks used a ruse—the Trojan Horse—to smuggle soldiers inside the city walls under the cover of night. Once inside, the Greek forces destroyed Troy, effectively ending the war. While rooted in legend, the war has captivated Western literature for millennia, symbolizing the tragic consequences of pride, divine interference, and mortal conflict.

1956: Release of Helen of Troy

In 1956, the cinematic adaptation titled Helen of Troy was released, continuing the long historical tradition of retelling the Trojan War story.

1961: Release of The Trojan Horse

The year 1961 saw the launch of the film adaptation known as The Trojan Horse, contributing to the modern cinematic interpretations of the conflict.

1977: Commencement of Geological Investigations

In 1977, geologist John C. Kraft and classicist John V. Luce began a long-term scientific investigation into the geological landscape of the region associated with the Trojan War to compare findings with historical texts.

1988: Re-evaluation of Troy VIIa

During the excavation campaign of 1988, researchers reassessed the archaeological evidence of Troy VIIa. This shift in perspective led to the city being recognized as the most probable candidate for the Homeric Troy, moving away from previous dismissals that labeled it as too impoverished to be the legendary site described in literature.

November 2001: Presentation of Geological Research Results

In November 2001, researchers announced that their studies, spanning from 1977, demonstrated a significant consistency between modern geological evidence and the topographical descriptions of the Trojan landscape found in the Iliad and Strabo's Geographica.