Which ancient writers helped preserve clues about Troy’s location?

The approximate location of the ancient city of Troy was preserved through references in the works of various ancient Greek and Latin authors. These writings provided the geographical clues that eventually guided modern explorers to the site at Hisarlik, Turkey.12

Key ancient writers who helped preserve information about Troy’s location include:

• Homer: His epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, served as the primary literary foundation for the city's fame and provided the initial context for its existence and setting.13
• Strabo: A Greek geographer whose work, Geography, contains significant discussions regarding the topography of the region surrounding ancient Troy. He relied on earlier commentators, such as Demetrius of Scepsis, to analyze and identify specific localities mentioned in Homeric texts.24
• Herodotus: His historical accounts also contributed to the body of ancient references that helped keep the memory of the city's location alive for later generations.2