Hellenic and Roman Library

Hellenic Society & Roman Society Online Course

6.00pm - 7.30pm (UK time) + recordings will be available

Lesley Fitton: Troy: story, archaeology and legacy

The story of Troy was deeply engrained in ancient Greek culture, art and thought. It continued to resonate in different ways through subsequent ages, and still exerts a powerful fascination today. Equally fascinating is the story of the search for Troy, the rediscovery of the ancient site and the often-dramatic archaeological finds made there. This course will give the opportunity to consider and discuss both the real and the imagined Troy, and will explore some of the reasons for the enduring power of one of the world’s great stories.  

Session 1: Wednesday 19 November

Homer and the story of Troy in Classical art

This session will begin with Homer and the nature of epic poetry, before moving on to representations of the myth of Troy in Greek art. It will remind us of some of the main characters and episodes in the story and consider the ways in which ancient artists responded to them.

Session 2: Wednesday 26 November

The search for Homer’s Troy

The long and convoluted history of the search for Troy will be discussed, including ancient attitudes to Troy/Ilion and its disappearance at the end of antiquity. The explorations and near-misses of the 18^th and 19^th centuries will be considered, leading to Schliemann’s discoveries at Troy and the later excavations there.  

Session 3: Wednesday 3 December

The legacy of Troy

The treatment of Troy in literature and art from the Medieval period to the present day will be selectively outlined. This session will consider the ways in which the reception of the story has changed with changing times. It will chart the different emphases that have emerged, and explore the ways in which the story has nonetheless continued to resonate strongly for successive ages and generations.

Session 4: Wednesday 10 December

Displaying Troy

This session will discuss displays of Trojan artefacts, beginning with Schilemann’s displays in his house in Athens, the controversial history of ‘Priam’s treasure’ and the exhibition of Trojan material in London from 1877-1880. More recent exhibitions will then be discussed, including ‘Troy: Myth and Reality,’ shown at the British Museum in 2019-20.

J. Lesley Fitton OBE FSA is Honorary Secretary of the Hellenic Society. She spent her working life at the British Museum, first as curator of the Greek Bronze Age collections, then as Keeper of the Department of Greece and Rome from 2007 until her retirement in 2018. She was co-curator of the exhibition ‘Troy: Myth and Reality’ which was shown in 2019-2020. Her interests lie in the history of discoveries in Aegean prehistory and in the work of Heinrich Schiemann.

• Members of the Hellenic Society and Roman Society may book at a heavily discounted rate.
• Hellenic Society and Roman Society Members: £50
• Hellenic Society and Roman Society Student Members: £25
• All Non-Members: £100
  To join or renew your subscription to the Hellenic Society or Roman Society, please visit:
  https://www.hellenicsociety.org.uk/membership/
  https://www.romansociety.org/Membership
  Lectures will be recorded and will be available for one month after the course has ended.
• After booking, and before the course starts, you will receive an email with the Zoom link and any preparatory reading.
• The course will be held on our Zoom platform. You will be able to ask questions using the chat or Q&A functions. It is not necessary to have a microphone or camera.
• For some courses, optional reading lists may be available. Any reading lists or handouts will be held on Google Drive and you will be sent the link.
• Please read the Webinar Guidance which can be downloaded from here:
  https://www.hellenicandromanlibrary.org/Events before attending the course.
• If you have any queries or problems, please email Fiona Haarer (office@romansociety.org)