Originally broadcast in 1985, In Search of the Trojan War followed the successful formula established by his first historical detective series, In Search of the Dark Ages, and firmly established Michael Wood as the most personable of TV historians. Wood is not only a born TV presenter, he's got both academic gravitas and narrative skill to craft a compelling mystery from the archaeological, literary and mythological sources. Over six hour-long programmes, Wood marshals the disparate strands of evidence to present as fully rounded a portrait as possible of both historical and the legendary city of Troy, its central place in Western culture, and the Mycenaean Age itself. From Schliemann's initial cavalier bulldozing of the mound at Hisarlik, to Homer's epics, the Hittite Empire and the role of slave-women, Wood journeys back and forth across the Aegean and elsewhere, from a pre-unification Berlin to Liverpool, to illuminate the dawn of Western literature, myth and history. Did the Trojan War ever happen? Or was the city destroyed by natural causes? Wood doesn't claim to find a definitive answer, of course, but for the viewer it's rewarding enough simply to accompany him on this fascinating journey.Episode Guide -
Episode 1: The Age of Heroes
Episode 2: The Legend Under Siege
Episode 3: The Singer of Tales
Episode 4: The Women of Troy
Episode 5: Empire of the Hittites
Episode 6: The Fall of Troy