Ziad Shihab

Troy before The Iliad

From wavelength.ai

The Hittite texts provide some insights into the stories surrounding Troy, although they are not as detailed as the later accounts found in the Iliad and other Greek sources. These texts mention a city called Wilusa, which is believed to be the Hittite name for Troy. The stories depicted in these texts involve conflicts and alliances between various kingdoms in the region.

One of the most significant Hittite texts is the Tawagalawa Letter, which is a correspondence between the Hittite king and a ruler named Tawagalawa. In this letter, Tawagalawa accuses the Hittite king of harboring a fugitive who had fled from Wilusa after committing a crime. This suggests that there were tensions and disputes between the Hittites and the people of Wilusa.

Another Hittite text, known as the "Song of Kumarbi," includes references to a conflict between the storm god Teshub and the sea god Kumarbi. Teshub is said to have fought against a figure named Alaksandu, who is believed to be a Hittite version of the Trojan prince Paris. This suggests that the Hittites had their own version of the Paris-Helen story, which later became central to the Trojan War narrative.

Additionally, the Hittite texts mention a figure named Piyama-Radu, who is believed to be the Hittite equivalent of Priam, the king of Troy. Piyama-Radu is described as a powerful ruler who engages in diplomatic relations with the Hittite kingdom. These references suggest that the Hittites had knowledge of Troy and its ruling dynasty.

While the Hittite texts provide some glimpses into the stories of Troy, they are not as elaborate or comprehensive as the later Greek accounts. They primarily focus on political and diplomatic interactions rather than the detailed narrative of the Trojan War that we find in the Iliad and other Greek epics.