Trojans

[lumsdale]

Is there any evidence to suggest that the Trojans came to Britain?

I read the following in a History of Britain:

"Trojans, landed in Britain in about 1100 BCE. Brutus the Trojan founded the city of Troia Nova (New Troy), later called Trinovantum, later called London."

[Dave G]

Hi Lumsdale
I have just googled it and there is a mine of info
good luck Dave G

[Lil O'lady]

Lumsdale - to cut a long explanantion short, the people living in the part of Turkey known as Troy did not speak Latin in 1100 BCE. Had they settled and named London they would have done so in their own language which would have been at that time Hittite, which was written in cuneiform script. They did not call their own area 'Troy' so why they would call another settlement New Try doesn't add up.
The people of this part of Turkey later came into the Greek-speaking world, and even in Roman times Greek was the lingua franca.
You need to check the credentials of your sources - even if they appear on Google!

[jno]

this is one of the legends with which people in the Middle Ages tried to assure themselves Britain was a historically important place. Another is the myth that Jesus visited Glastonbury ('And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England's mountain green...') There's no evidence for either claim. Even so, tin from Cornwall was traded round the Mediterranean, so the notion of Trojans having some sort of British links isn't entirely fanciful.

[kempie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinovantes

[lumsdale]

Looking at this from an archaelogical point of view there are many similarities between Bronze Age artifacts found in Britain and those such as weaponry found in Troy.
In Britain little if anything exists to show us what languages were being spoken in here at this time. Languages are fluid and can change from one generation to another,particularly after invasion and movements of population, so I dont see that as an argument for discounting that the Trojans were here. As has already been mentioned there was a thriving tin trade in parts of Cornwall during the Bronze age and evidence of intercontinental trading.
You have given me lots of food for thought. Thankyou for your input.

[jno]

this is about Geoffrey of Monmouth, who popularised the Troy claim

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_of_Monmo uth

Another old English myth was that Saint Helena - the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who introduced Christianity to the empire - was the daughter of Old King Cole, believe it or not (and I would advise 'not').