The Iliad as essentially historical Historicity of Homer

map of troad (troas).

another opinion homer heir unbroken tradition of oral epic poetry reaching 500 years mycenaean times. case set out in singer of tales albert b. lord, citing earlier work folklorist , mythographer milman parry. in view, poem s core represent historical campaign took place @ eve of decline of mycenaean civilization. legendary material have been added during time, in view meaningful ask archaeological , textual evidence corresponding events referred in iliad. such historical background gives credible explanation geographical knowledge of troy (which could, however, have been obtained in homer s time visiting traditional site of city, in fact new ilium, built @ base of hill @ hisarlık) , otherwise unmotivated elements in poem (in particular detailed catalogue of ships). linguistically, few verses of iliad suggest great antiquity, because fit meter if projected mycenaean greek, in part due classical loss of digamma; trace of archaic language suggests poetic tradition spanning greek dark ages. on other hand, there well-known interpolations in text have. though homer ionian, iliad reflects geography known mycenaean greeks, showing detailed knowledge of mainland not extending ionian islands or anatolia, suggests iliad reproduces account of events handed down tradition, author did not add own geographical knowledge.