Hello, and welcome to the joint Trojan War Committee.

I am Ellen Zhang, the chair of the Greek committee. I am in grade 11 and this is my second year

in Model UN. I hope you will enjoy your time in this committee and have fun exploring the world of the

Trojans and the Archaeans.

The Trojan War was a battle between the Trojans and the Greek coalitions that took place around

1200 BCE. However, its historical reality remains one of uncertainty and mystery. This joint crisis

committee will follow the version of the Trojan War told in Homer’s Iliad. The Trojan War begins when

Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, is abducted by Paris of Troy. The Trojan War ultimately

ends with the famous Trojan horse, a battle scheme devised by the Greek hero Odysseus. It is story of

anger, unity, and melancholy intertwined with mythological elements including gods and demigods. 1

The Trojan War committee will be divided into two separate committees, the Greeks (Achaeans)

and the Trojans. You will work with the delegates in your committee to bring victory to your side. You

may be assigned as the Greek hero, Achilles or the prince of Troy, Hector. No matter who your character

is, you must handle internal affairs within your coalition, but also respond to the actions and decisions

directly made by your opponents in the other committee. The historical setting of the committee will be

the same as the Iliad, taking place during the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. The committee will

also include the mythological elements described by Homer, including gods, nymphs, and oracles.

Remember that you do not have to follow the story completely. You are free to conspire, scheme, and

murder as your character. However, do keep in mind of your character’s main motivations and research

the culture, military, and key interests of your side.

On behalf of your other chair Alex Angelou, your crisis directors Ainslie Shouldice and Leila

Koohi, and the crisis team, I wish you all luck in the preparation for the Trojan War. If you have any

questions, feel free to email me at ezhang@havergal.on.ca.

1 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Mastin, Luke. Ancient Greece: Homer: the Iliad . N.p.: Ancient Literature, 2009.

Table of Contents

➢ Timeline

➢ Brief history

➢ Greeks

➢ Trojans

➢ Possible Issues

➢ Additional Information

➢ Research questions

➢ Resources

Timeline of the Trojan War 2

● Oath of Tyndareus : After Helen and Menelaus married, an oath was made among all suitors of

Helen that required them to provide military assistance in case of her abduction.

● Wedding of King Peleus and Thetis : Everyone was invited to the wedding except Eris, the

goddess of discord. Angered and insulted, Eris arrived at the wedding and threw a golden apple

labeled “for the fairest”.

● Judgment of Paris: Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera all wanted the golden apple but Zeus refused to

choose between them. Paris, a prince of Troy, was made to chose instead. After being promised

the most beautiful woman in the world, Paris chose Aphrodite as the fairest of them all.

● Paris visits Menelaus, king of Sparta : Paris entered Sparta disguised as a diplomatic emissary

with the help of Aphrodite.

● Paris abducts Helen : Paris fell in love with King Menelaus’ wife Helen, the most beautiful

woman in the world, and proceeded to abduct her.

● Menelaus begins gathering coalition : With the help of his brother Agamemnon, Menelaus

gathered all those bonded by the Oath of Tyndareus to retrieve Helen.

● Detour at Mysia : the Archaeans mistook Mysia for Troy. King Telephus told the Archaeans how

they could reach Troy.

● Sacrifice to Artemis : The Greeks were unable to sail to Troy due to misfortunes such as

unfavourable winds and plagues. It was said that Agamemnon angered Artemis by killing a

2 Mitchell, Stephen, trans., The Iliad of Homer (New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 2011), 1-415.

sacred animal of hers. The prophet Calchas stated that Artemis can appeased by the sacrifice of a

virgin. Agamemnon’s daughter Iphigenia was chosen, but moments before she was killed,

Artemis swapped her with a deer to be sacrificed instead. Afterwards, the Greek expedition was

able to proceed and reach Troy.

● Trojan War begins : all diplomatic attempts of the Greeks in retrieving Helen were refused.

● Agamemnon dishonours Achilles : Agamemnon stole Briseis, a concubine given to Achilles by the

army as war price. Achilles felt dishonored and decided to stop participating in the battle.

● Gods begin to chose sides: Athena, Poseidon, Hera, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Thetis were for the

Greeks and Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Eris, Deimos, Phobos, Scamander, and Leto were

for the Trojans. Gods became directly and indirectly involved in the war, often protecting and

guiding their favourite warriors.

● Menelaus v. Paris : Menelaus offered to fight Paris in a one-on-one combat to settle the war.

Menelaus began to gain the upper hand but just before Paris was killed, Aphrodite whisked him

away from the battlefield.

● Ajax the Great v. Hector : The two were engaged in a closed mortal combat but was stopped by

their comrades as night approached. Honour was an essential element in war and the two warriors

exchanged gifts and bid goodbye on friendly terms.

● Gods on the battlefield : Many gods fought directly on the battlefield along with their favourite

warriors. Ares, the god of war is no exception. He fought with the Trojans after being convinced

by Aphrodite. However he was soon driven off the battlefield after being injured by the Greek’s

Diomedes and the goddess Athena.

● Trojan forces led by Hector prevail over the Greeks : Achilles’ continuous refusal to fight led to

many defeats for the Greeks. Agamemnon became desperate to get Achilles back on the

battlefield.

● Attack on Greek camps: Led by Hector, the Trojans pinned the Greeks at the beach and almost

set fire to their ships.

● Death of Patroclus : Patroclus disguised himself as Achilles’ by wearing his armour and took

command of the Myrmidon army. He was able to repel the Trojans from the Greek camps but was

soon slain by Hector (guided by Apollo).

● Achilles rejoins the Greek forces : Achilles was blinded by grief and rage due to the death of his

friend. He swore to kill all the Trojans, Hector in particular. He asked his mother for a new set of

armour, which was then made by the god Hephaestus with bronze, tin, gold, and silver

● Achilles drives the Trojans back into Troy : Terrified by Achilles’ rampage, the Trojans fled back

to safety within the city walls.

● Death of Hector : all the Trojans returned to the city but Hector alone remained outside the walls.

However when he was confronted by Achilles, he too became afraid. Hector was chased three

times around the city walls before being stabbed in the neck. Achilles then proceeded to

dishonour Hector by dragging his naked corpse around the city walls and refused to return him to

Troy.

● Meeting between Achilles and King Priam of Troy : King Priam entered the Greek camps and

begged Achilles for his son’s body for proper burial. Achilles agreed after Zeus commands him

to. The two men also grieved together for the people they’ve lost in the war before parting ways.

A temporary truce was made for nine days of peace.

● Achilles conquers in battle : Achilles continued to conquer by slaying Trojan allies, including

Ethiopian King, Memnon and Queen of the Amazons, Penthesilea.

● Death of Achilles : Guided by Apollo, Paris killed Achilles by shooting him at the heel with the

bow of Hercules.

● Death of Ajax : Odysseus took Achilles’ armour, much to Ajax’s disappointment. While angered,

Ajax slaughtered a herd of sheep and died by falling on his sword.

● Athena Palladium : One night, Odysseus disguised himself and entered the city of Troy and stole

the sacred Palladium statue of Athena, which was said to be the weakness of the Trojans.

● The Trojan Horse : Inspired by Athena, Odysseus devised a plan for the Greeks to win the war.

He suggested that first, all the Greeks would sail off Troy, leaving nothing but a giant wooden

horse that is supposedly a gift for the Trojans. However, in reality, there was group of soldiers

hiding within the horse to be brought into the city. At night while the Trojans are celebrating their

“victory”, the soldiers exited the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army.

● Cassandra’s warnings : Cassandra, daughter of King Priam of Troy, had foreseen the destruction

of Troy and warned the Trojans not to bring the wooden horse into the city. She even tried to

destroy the horse herself but was stopped and dismissed by the other Trojans.

● Greek army destroys Troy : The Greeks brutally slaughtered the Trojans and captured many

women and children as slaves. They also committed numerous war crimes including the rape of

Cassandra. Their actions were so savage and dishonourable that the gods punished the Greeks by

causing shipwrecks on their journey home.

Brief History

The Trojans

Although the much of the Trojan War is fantasy, most scholars do agree that the city of Troy was

indeed historical reality. The Trojan civilization was located on the northwest coast of Turkey until the

Late Bronze Age. It was a part of a kingdom called Ilium, also known as Wlusa. In 1800-1275 BC, the

Trojan civilization reached its peak with its economy and architecture. Troy had the geographic advantage

of being located at the mouth of the Black Sea. The city essentially acted as a lock controlling the trade in

and out of the area. The overland trading through the sea routes allowed the city to become a huge trading

centre for wood, grains, and metals. Troy was also a very flourished civilization in terms of architecture.

It had wide roads, tall walls, and extraordinarily strong city walls. The city’s fortification was so advanced

that in mythology, it said that the gods Poseidon and Apollo were the ones who built it. In the Iliad,

Homer describes the city as simply magnificent, with “the walls, surmounted by mud-brick breastworks,

once reached a height of nine meters. Several watchtowers were built into these walls, the most imposing

of which is the north eastern bastion, which served to reinforce the citadel’s defences as well as offer a

commanding view over the Trojan plain”. 3

The Greeks

The Trojan War takes place during Mycenaean Greece at the end of the Bronze Age. At the time,

the Greeks were a collection of city states with enough overlap in culture, customs, language, and religion

to be called the Hellenes. Its main cities included Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, Athens, Thebes, Orchomenos,

and Folksier. However, the states were constantly at conflict with each other, especially in terms of

territory. For example, the areas closer to water were more fertile, making the land more desirable. The

states only came together when there was a common enemy. The economy of the Mycenaean Greeks

largely depended on production of tools, weapons, agriculture, and art and architecture. Goods were also

imported and exported for overland trading. There was a bipartite system where workers can either chose

to work in the palace or as independent businesses. Military and warrior culture was widespread among

the Greeks. All states had a strong military base and invested a great deal in establishing weaponry and

troops. Additionally, during Mycenaean Greece, there was a strong divide between social classes. Royal

3 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Jarus, Owen. Ancient Troy: The City & the Legend . N.p.: Livescience, 2013.

authorities held all administrative and political power. Taxes were also collected from citizens in the form

of agriculture surpluses. 4

Culture

Cultural and social norms played a key role in the Trojan War. For instance, there is an unspoken,

but fundamental rule of courtesy between hosts and guests. The host must entertain their guest with

hospitality and comfort and send them away with gifts. The guest is required to display the same mutual

respect for their host. Paris abducting his host Menelaus’ wife went against this sacred rule and

relationship. Thus, most Greek audiences of the Iliad found the actions of the Archaeans justifiable.

Another cultural rule is the importance of reputation and glory. It is considered more valuable than any

riches, even the warrior’s life. Paris’ abduction of Helen went strongly against this code of honour. His

crimes were recognized by not only the Archaeans but also the Trojans. 5

The Iliad

Very little is known about the real history of Troy. The Trojans and the Trojan War were

considered merely as a myth until the 19th century. Even now, Troy is still mostly a mystery as there are

so little written sources and documentations of the civilization. One of the only sources of written history

of Troy comes from the Hittites. During the Late Bronze Age, cultures followed more of an oral 6

tradition, where history is passed down through stories generation by generation. The Greek poet Homer

was said to have gathered these stories and compiled them into epic poems. However, his rendition of the

Trojan War, the Iliad, is heavily intertwined with mythological elements including gods and demigods.

The poem sets in the 10th year of siege against the Trojans. It takes place over the final weeks, or 53 days

to be exact, before the end of the war. At this point, the war has become stalemate, with neither the

Greeks able to take the city of Troy or the Trojans able to drive the Greeks away. Moreover, the main

theme of the Iliad is the belief in an honour code. Soldiers and warriors struggled to balance their honour

and their desire to win and conquer. They must ask themselves whether their actions are heroic or for the

greater good and whether it is honourable and just. Going against the honour system would not only harm

their reputation but might also lead to punishments from the gods. In addition to the Iliad , Homer wrote

the epic poem the Odyssey. It describes the aftermath of the war and the Greek hero Odysseus’

4 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Ancient Greece: Mycenaean Age . N.p.: University Press Inc., 2012. 5 Mitchell, Iliad , introduction 6 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Hawkins, J.D. Was There a Trojan War?: Evidence from Hittite Records . Vol. 57. N.p.: Archaeological Institute of America, 2004.

ten-year-long journey home (if you are interested, feel free to research information from Odyssey to better

understand the effects of the war as well as your character). 7

The Gods

In the Iliad , the gods were mostly used to explain why and how events took place. They have a very

complex relationship with the humans. Some gods such as Ares were said to have fought directly on the

battlefield with the mortals. Others are the parents or grandparents of the heroes. Achilles, Odysseus,

Aeneas and many others all have some sort of familial connection with nymphs, demigods, and gods.

During the Trojan War, Mount Olympus became divided as many gods and goddesses chose to pick sides,

defending either the Greeks or the Trojans (although some chose to remain neutral such as Zeus). They

would choose their favourite warriors from their side and acted as a mentor and protector. Athena, for

example, was Odysseus’ patron throughout the war as well as later on in his journeys returning home to

Ithaca. 8

Before the War

Little is known about the relations between the Greeks and the Trojans prior to the war. However,

it is evident that the Greeks and Trojans along with the Hittites were constantly negotiating and fighting

for land. According to Hittite documents, the three groups had a peace treaty before the Trojan War

began. 9

After the War

After the war, the lands of the Trojans entered a dark age. There was no sign of civilization or life

from 1050 to 700 BC. Everything essentially fell apart including trade and culture. In Homer’s version, 10

the aftermath of the Trojan War is described in the Odyssey . It includes the death of Agamemnon and

Odysseus’ decade long journey home. Another epic poem about the effects of the Trojan War is the

Aeneid by Virgil. The story centers around the hero Aeneas, one of the only surviving Trojans and his

7 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Mastin, Luke. Ancient Greece: Homer: the Iliad . N.p.: Ancient Literature, 2009. 8 Ibid. 9 This section of the background guide comes from the source: his section of the background guide comes from the source: Hawkins, J.D. Was There a Trojan War?: Evidence from Hittite Records . Vol. 57. N.p.: Archaeological Institute of America, 2004. 10 This section of the background guide comes from the source: Jarus, Owen. Ancient Troy: The City & the Legend . N.p.: Livescience, 2013.

journey to establish a new home for his people. Aeneas eventually found “New Troy” in Italy, or more

commonly known as Rome.

Greeks

During the final year of the Trojan War, Agamemnon takes Chryseis from Troy as a slave and

concubine. Her father Chryses, who is a priest of Apollo, begs the Greeks for her return. Agamemnon

refuses, enraging the god Apollo. Apollo then proceeds to spread a plague through the Greek army.

Finally, Agamemnon decides to return Chryseis, on the condition that Achilles’ concubine Briseis will

become his as a replacement. Achilles’ is enraged and decides to step out of battle. Now with many of the

soldiers ill with the plague and the greatest Archaean warrior refusing to fight, the Greek forces have

become severely weakened. However, through intel gathered from the Trojan slaves, it appears that the

Trojans are having many internal conflicts and tensions themselves. The Greeks must consider the

conditions of their own coalition and that of the Trojan forces in order to decide what the next best course

of action would be. 11

➢ Achilles of Phthia: Son of Thetis. The greatest warrior and a key fighting force in the Greek

coalition. Commander of the Myrmidons

➢ Patroclus of Phthia : A warrior in the Archaean forces. A very close and dear friend of Achilles.

➢ Odysseus of Ithaca: A leading hero in the Greek forces known for his clever and ingenious ideas

and strategies.

➢ Menelaus : King of Sparta, husband of Helen, and brother of Agamemnon.

➢ Agamemnon : King of Mycenae. Leader of the Greek Forces. Brother of Menelaus

➢ Nestor of Gerenia: An advisor to the Greeks, especially to Agamemnon. Commander of the

Pylian troops.

➢ Diomedes of Aetolia : A chief commander in the Greek army.

➢ Ajax the greater of Salamis : A warrior in the Greek forces. He often fought together with Ajax

the lesser. The two were known as the “aentes”.

➢ Calchas : A Greek seer.

➢ Ajax the lesser : Commander of the Locrians. He often worked in partnership with Ajax the

greater. 12

11 Summary and Analysis: Greek Mythology The Trojan War — The Preliminaries, The Course of the War, The Fall of Troy, and The Returns . N.p.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. 12 Mitchell, Iliad , 471-476

Trojans

Tensions and divisions are growing amongst the Trojan coalition. Many Trojan counsellors and

people advice Paris to return Helen to the Greeks before further bloodshed and the destruction of Troy.

However, Paris refuses to give her up. Allies are also complaining as it seems like they are doing all the

hard work for the Trojans and are threatening to pull out of battle. However, Chryses, a priest of Apollo,

announces to the council that the Apollo has spread a plague among the Greek soldiers and the great

warrior Achilles has stepped out of battle. 13

➢ Paris : Prince of Troy who kidnapped Helen

➢ Hector : Prince of Troy. Leader of the Trojans and their allies.

➢ Helenus : A prophet and a warrior in the Trojan forces. Prince of Troy.

➢ Aeneas : Main lieutenant of Hector.

➢ Priam : King of Troy.

➢ Hecuba : Queen of Troy.

➢ Sarpedon : Leader of Lycia and an ally of the Trojans.

➢ Helen of Sparta : Wife of Paris, former wife of Menelaus and queen of Sparta. Known as the most

beautiful woman in the world.

➢ Penthesilea : Amazonian queen who fought with the Trojans.

➢ Antenor : An advisor to King Priam 14

Possible Issues and Topics

➢ Internal conflict and tensions among allies

➢ Supply lines

➢ Troy’s fortifications

➢ Stalemate

➢ Honour system/code of conduct of war

➢ Relations to Gods

13 Summary and Analysis: Greek Mythology The Trojan War — The Preliminaries, The Course of the War, The Fall of Troy, and The Returns . N.p.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. 14 Mitchell, Iliad , 471-476

Additional Information

Map Figure #1: Map of Homeric Greece and Troy 15

15 “Homeric Greece.” Digital image. Wikipedia. September 29, 2007. Accessed January 14, 2017. Retrieved from: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Homeric_Greece-en.svg/2000px-Homeric_Greece-en.svg.png

Guiding Questions

1. Remember that the Greek coalition consisted of the forces of different city states. How would this

affect the unity, effectiveness, and dynamics of the Greeks?

2. Note that after the abduction of Helen, both the Greeks and Trojans agreed that Paris had broken

a code of honour. The Greeks tried to ask for her return diplomatically but were refused by the

Trojans, thus leading to the war. Why did the Trojans reject the Greeks’ offer? How did your

character react towards the refusal to return Helen? How does this reaction then affect his/her

relationship with other characters?

3. If it was up to your character, would he/she end the war in another way? Was the Trojan Horse

the only option?

4. What is your character’s main motivation? Why did your character participate in the war? Other

than winning the war for the side he/she is on, what is his/her personal goal? Who are your

greatest allies? Who do you have past affiliations with? Who do you have past conflicts with?

Think about the implications of the war and how its aftermath would directly affect your

character.

5. What relationship does your character have with the gods? Think about the roles of the gods in

the Trojan War.

6. How did the economy, culture, and allies (people, states and kingdoms) affect the military

performance of your side?

Delegate Resources

Ancient Greece: Mycenaean Age. N.p.: University Press Inc., 2012. Hawkins, J.D. Was There a Trojan War?: Evidence from Hittite Records . Vol. 57. N.p.: Archaeological

Institute of America, 2004. “Homeric Greece.” Digital image. Wikipedia. September 29, 2007. Accessed January 14, 2017. Retrieved

From:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Homeric_Greece-en.svg/200 px-Homeric_Greece-en.svg.png

Jarus, Owen. Ancient Troy: The City & the Legend . N.p.: Livescience, 2013. Mastin, Luke. Ancient Greece: Homer: the Iliad . N.p.: Ancient Literature, 2009. Mitchell, Stephen, trans., The Iliad of Homer (New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 2011), 1-415. Summary and Analysis: Greek Mythology The Trojan War — The Preliminaries, The Course of

the War, The Fall of Troy, and The Returns . N.p.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.