Unearthing the Trojan War: The Life of Heinrich Schliemann

This lecture will provide an overview of the course structure and content, and also provide an introduction to Homer, and especially his writing "The Iliad". The plot is summarized, and Homeric scholarship is examined, especially bringing out that most scholars used to believe Homer's Trojan War was a myth.

This lecture will introduce the life and adventures of Heinrich Schliemann, from his birth and early childhood in northern Germany to his phenomenal success as an international merchant. In spite of all his financial success, Schliemann longed for something much more fulfilling. Then he will embrace Homer.

Schliemann will come to the end of himself, but find a new beginning, thanks to two persons. This lecture will discuss how Schliemann returned to Homer, and how he married Sophia, a young Greek woman. In these years. He also set his sights upon Troy.

This lecture will describe how Heinrich Schliemann and his team of hired workers excavated the site of Hisarlik. Schliemann was convinced this was the location of ancient Troy. The results were spectacular, but there were other nagging questions that needed solving in future seasons of work there. Schliemann's work at Hisarlik embroiled him in controversy, as many archaeologists disagreed with his conclusions, and the Turkish authorities were angry that treasures and artifacts were secretly taken out of their country.

This lecture will summarize Schliemann's work at Mycenae, Greece, in 1876 and 1877. Once again, the findings were spectacular, which increased his worldwide notoriety. The many rich treasures Schliemann found put a huge exclamation mark upon all of his work. Schliemann continued to write books and speak to various archaeological societies in Europe.

This lecture covers the last 12 years of Schliemann's life, from 1878 to 1890. His previous accomplishments at Hisarlik (Troy) and Mycenae will be what he is remembered for, but he still made important contributions in these years. He made more trips to Hisarlik and found more treasure there, and did important excavations at Tiryns. He wanted to dig in Crete, as he felt he knew where the palace of King Minos was located, but he could not secure a deal to purchase the land. He also decided what nation would receive the substantial treasure he owned from Troy, and in return for many honors, donated these to a museum there.