TROJAN ORIGINS?

TROJAN ORIGINS?

Some sources claim that the Goths were descended from the people of Troy, but this is extremely unlikely. It is more probable that the connection was invented to give the upstart barbarian rulers of the former Roman Empire a noble heritage. They were not the only culture to claim descent from ancient Troy.

It is said that Rome was founded by
Trojans fleeing the destruction of their home city and that a man of Roman or Trojan descent discovered Britain. From him came the line of legendary rulers that included King Arthur and the leaders of various tribes among the Britons. Even the Norse gods were claimed to reside in Troy by some sources, commuting to Asgard every day by way of the magical Bifröst bridge.

Some of these tales are obviously invention, whereas others might have a kernel of truth. Little is known about Troy other than what is recorded in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and these are derived from oral histories (or possibly invented stories) passed down through the Greek Dark Age. Archaeology has proven that a great city once stood where Troy is said to have been, but beyond that little is known for sure. Even in antiquity, Troy was a legendary place and a natural choice when inventing descent from noble ancestors to legitimize power in Iberia continued. The former Visigoths emerged from these struggles as the foundation of the Spanish kingdoms.

Source ~ The Dark Ages by Martin J Dougherty