Why did Korfmann’s reconstruction of Troy cause scholarly debate?

Manfred Korfmann’s reconstruction of Troy sparked significant scholarly debate because it challenged the prevailing view of the city as a relatively minor settlement or simple princely seat.12

Beginning in 1988, Korfmann’s team utilized geomagnetic surveying and excavations to investigate the area surrounding the citadel at Hisarlik. Based on these findings, Korfmann argued in favor of a "greater Troy"—a city of significant size, prosperity, and regional power, consistent with the wealthy and populous depiction found in Homer’s works.12

This interpretation, particularly when presented through a controversial model reconstruction in a 2001 exhibition, intensified existing disagreements among researchers regarding the site's true historical nature, population, and status as a trade entrepôt.12