Troy: Myth, City, Icon, Paperback/Naoise Mac Sweeney

From the palaces of Homeric epic to the ancestral seat of Roman emperors, Troy in antiquity was a place couched in myth. But for nearly four millennia, Troy was also a living city, inhabited by real people. Troy today is therefore a site of major archaeological and historical significance. In the modern world, however, Troy has become as much a symbol as a site. From movies to computer viruses, from condom branding to reggae records, Troy is a word to conjure with. This book explores the significance of Troy in three areas: the mythic, the archaeological, and the cultural, and highlights the continuing importance of the site today. Including a survey of the archaeological remains of Troy as they are currently understood, the volume presents an all-inclusive overview of the site's history, from the Troy of Homer to Classical Antiquity and beyond. The modern day cultural significance of the Trojan War is also discussed, including re-tellings of the stories or representations of the site and myth, and the more abstract use of Troy as a symbol - as a brand for consumer goods, and as a metaphor for contemporary conflicts. About the Author: Naoise Mac Sweeney is Associate Professor in Ancient History at the University of Leicester, UK. Her published titles include Foundation Myths and Politics in Ancient Ionia (2013) and Community Identity and Archaeology: Dynamic Communities at Aphrodisias and Beycesultan (2011).