History // Ancient Greece & Rome
Troy: Myth or History?
Explore how Heinrich Schliemann's excavation at Hisarlik in modern Turkey raised questions about whether the Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad was historical, partly historical, or entirely mythical — understanding that archaeology and literary sources can support or contradict each other, and that the line between myth and history in the ancient world is often blurred
Quick check
Could the learner discuss whether the Trojan War really happened, explaining what archaeology has found at Troy and why the answer isn't simple?
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Topic // Mastery
What mastery looks like
- Describe Schliemann's excavation at Hisarlik and what he claimed to have found
- Explain how archaeological evidence at Troy both supports and complicates Homer's story
- Discuss why the boundary between myth and history is difficult to draw for the ancient world
Topic // Map
Where this fits
- RequiredMust come first
- HelpfulHelps, but not essential
Before this
2 topics- Greek Myths and HeroesRequired
Ancient Greece & Rome // Ages 5 to 7
Trojan War is the most famous Greek myth — must know Greek myths first
Ancient Greece & Rome // Ages 9 to 11
Understanding how evidence works is prerequisite for evaluating archaeological claims
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Troy: Myth or History?
Ages 11 to 13 // Concept
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History // Ancient Greece & Rome
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