The map here shows a lot of change in the city of Troy over the last 4,500 years. The bay area, over time, has changed into land. The lightest blue part shows where the extended plain had been when Troy was founded, which was around 2,500 B.C. The green line in this map shows how much the bay had actually shrunk by 1,200 B.C. The other light blue line shows how big Troy was thought to be in Homer's time. The red line shows the modern coast, which can be seen today.
This is a map of what Troy looks like now. The left side of the plain is low and is now marshy and pretty disgusting. Also in the last 3,000 years the once bay area has silted up to the land and such. The western part of the Sigean Promantary has also been eroded by the sea. Today there would have been a plain about 1km wide to the west of Troy, where some of the fighting may have taken place.
The map shows the central area of the Meditteranean Sea, where some of the places in the epic poem The Odyssey, were.
This map shows the eastern Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. In late Magellan times Greek trading ships had been operating up the Black Sea. It seems very reasonable to place the entrance of the underworld on the coast of the Sea of Axon, the northeast point of the Black Sea. It must have seemed like the end of the world to the Greeks and fits Homer's description well.
Ithaca- the island home of Odysseus, west of the Greek mainland, between Epirus and the island Cephallenia.
Pylos- a town on the western coast of the Peloponesas. It was ruled and made famous by Nestor, son of Neleus.
Sparta- the famous capital of Laconia, one of the most famous districts in the Peloponnesus.
Argos- a large district in the northeastern part of the Peloponnesus. It is sometimes referred to as Argolis. The capital of this region is also called Argos.
Mycenae- the capital of Agamemnon's kingdom in the Argolis in the northeastern part of Peloponnesus. So important was this town that the civilization of that region and period is called the Mycenaen Civilization.
Athens- the capital of the region of Attica and the most famous of all the Greek cities.
Eubea- the large Greek island just off the northeastern coast of Attica.
Crete- the famous island southeast of Greece.
Troy- a kingdom located on the western coast of Asia Minor(modern Turkey) which was destroyed by the Achaean army after a siege lasting ten years.
Cyprus- an island, chiefly Greek, in the eastern Mediterrenean, said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite. It was an important site of her worship.
Syria- a legendary island said to be Eumaeus' native home. He portrays it as being located west of Ortygia.
Red Spots- represent the main Mycenaen settlements in the 13th century B.C.
T.S.- Trading Station
Head of Homer from the Hellenistic Period(sculpture/statue). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Picture can also be found in Adventures in Reading copyright, 1980.
Trojan Horse from around the 7th century B.C.(wine jar from Myronos). Myronos Museum, Greece. Picture can be found in Adventures in Reading, copyright, 1980.
Return of Odysseus from around the 5th century B.C.(Terracotta relief). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Can be found inAdventures in Reading, copyright, 1980.
Odysseus and the Sirens from 475 B.C.(attic vase from Vulci). British Museum, London. Picture can be found in Adventures in Reading, copyright, 1980.
***The following art pieces can be found in Greek Myths by Lucilla Burn. Published by British Museum Publications and the University of Texas Press, Austin. The copyright date is 1990.
Odysseus, Diomedes, and Dolon from around 410-400 B.C.(wine bowl).
Odysseus escaping from the Cyclops' cave from around 500-480 B.C.(athenian six-technique lekythos, an oil flask).
Odysseus and the Cyclops from around 700 B.C.(proto-attic amphora, a wine jar).
Circe from around 550-530 B.C.(athenian black figured "merry thought" cup).
Skylla from the 1st century A.D.(roman bronze bowl).
Penelope at her loom from around 460-440 B.C.(athenian red figured skyphos, a drinking cup).
Odysseus and Eurycleia from around 460-440 B.C.(athenian red figured skyphos, a drinking cup).
