In search of the Trojan war - the singer of tales

Last I watched the third episode of Michael Wood's "In search of the Trojan war" - "the singer of tales" which was about Homer himself and how the Illiad was compiled.  We know that the Illiad was created 500 years after the actual war itself, whether it happened or not.  And also it passed on orally, and memorized until it was first written down in papyrus during Roman times.  Wood went to Ireland and Turkey to see how the last surviving modern day storytellers work and how they learnt their stories.

According to the episode, it is likely that the Illiad was a compilation of several poems or songs, which were set around 1200 BC. Some of the cities mentioned were already rubble by Homer's time which adds to the idea that was passed on from generation to generation.  Another fascinating fact that the first copy of the Illiad was compiled in Florence during the 14th century.

In Search of the Trojan War

I have just watched first episode of the BBC documentary 'In Search of the Trojan War', presented by the then youthful Michael Wood. This episode 'Age of Heroes' features the attempt by German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann to find the lost city of Troy and evidence of the other characters - Agremennon, Achiles, Nestor etc.  Despite the age this is the BBC at its best.

Unfortunately Schliemann did not uncover all the secrets before his death but provided enough of a foundation for others to follow.  I fully recommend this for all history buffs and anyone interested in Homer's Illiad.