Troy, an ancient city in northwestern Anatolia (modern Turkey), boasts a rich archaeological history. Excavations at Hisarlık, the city’s likely location, reveal a sequence of 10 principal strata, labeled 0 to IX, illustrating the gradual development of urbanism in Asia Minor.
Troy 0 was discovered in 2019 and is not well understood. Its existence pushes the founding of Troy back to about 3500 bce.
Troy I to V correspond to the Early Bronze Age. The citadel of Troy I was small, with a massive wall enclosing rectangular houses. Troy II was larger, with higher stone walls protecting an acropolis. A trove of gold jewelry and vessels, known as “Priam’s treasure,” was discovered in the burnt layer of Troy II.
Troy VI and VII existed during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. Troy VI was destroyed by an earthquake. An expedition by the University of Cincinnati concluded that Troy VIIa was likely King Priam’s capital, as described in Homer’s Iliad. The city was destroyed by fire, with remnants of human bones suggesting capture and looting by enemies.