Lasting Influences of the Trojan War

Lasting influences of the Trojan War

The popular myth of the Trojan War has been communicated across many cultures and time periods since its creation around the 13th century B.C. This essay will discuss the lasting influences of the Trojan War represented by classical Greek vases, Roman literature and New Zealand lithographs and etchings. This essay will also examine what the depiction of the Trojan War tells us about the cultures themselves.

Greeks

The first culture I am examining is the Greeks and the way they represented the Trojan War on vases created c 570-450 B.C. The myth was exceedingly popular in the Greek culture as it was a seeming sense of achievement being portrayed as the winners of the battle. The Greeks had both Fate and therefore the gods on their side in order to make the outcome true that Troy will fall.

The myth of the Trojan War was popular amongst the Greeks because it was a part of their mythology and culture. The vases I have studied were made during the Archaic and Classical periods of Greek history (University Press Inc.). During this period the Greeks were engaging in civil wars, so the myth of the Trojan War seemed a suitable myth to portray as it outlined the consequences of war in all its gore and glory. During the Classical period, which followed the Archaic period, the Greeks began to come into conflict with the Persians. The creation of the vases seemed to act as encouragement to the Greeks by showing them their successes in war.

The first vase I analysed was the Penthesilea Painter Pyxis. This vase depicts the provocation of the war through the Judgement of Paris. Paris is illustrated interacting amongst the gods before his winner is decided. The Judgement of Paris began with a banquet held in celebration for the marriage of Peleus and Thetis on Mount Olympus. All of the gods were invited except for Eris, the troublemaker and Goddess of strife. For revenge, Eris through the golden apple of discord, which was inscribed, “For the most beautiful one.” This provoked squabbles between the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena. When Paris (a Trojan shepherd) handed Aphrodite the prize, he started a series of events that lead to the destruction of his homeland Troy (Gill, 2013). Hera and Athena joined sides with the Greeks against Paris to avenge him for his decision. This shows that the Greeks are encouraged and supported by jealous goddesses who are only seeking personal revenge. This tells us that the gods play an important part in the Greeks victory of the Trojan War myth.

My next vase, the Exekias Belly Amphora, illustrates Achilles and Ajax playing checkers during the Trojan War. The men are wearing their armour during their ‘downtime’, which shows us that the Greeks never saw a complete separation from the war. This also shows the duration of the war because they are able