Troy between mythology and documents

In: Godišnjak Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja, Heft 49, S. 87-96

Abstract

Greek mythology mentions Motylos, king in Asia Minor, who received Helen and Paris after they fled the mythical Sparta. Who was Motylos and whether his appearance in ancient Hellenic mythography is in fact perhaps a reminiscence and some "rough" memory of a real ruler of Asia Minor in the XIII century BC. As one of the first candidates for possible reminiscence is Muwatal II. (Muwatalli; Muwatallish) Hittite ruler in the period (according to a short chronology) from 1295 to 1272. BC. The main reason is the existence of a document, found in the Hittite archives in Hatusha, which is called the Alaksandu Treaty (CTH 76). It is a diplomatic treaty (with an approximate date cc 1280 BC) between Muwatal II. and Alaksandu, king of Wilusa. In historiography and archeology it is now unquestionable that Wilusa refers to that city which in ancient Hellenic mythology is called Ilion, while Aleksandu is associated with Paris (Πάρις), whose name by birth was Alexander (Ἀλέξανδρος). It is interesting that in Greek mythology, there is also information that the Paris and Helena fleet was cruising the eastern Mediterranean and that it was carrying out attacks along the coast of the Levant. Perhaps this mythology is actually a memory of the time when the Trojans were part of a military contingent led by Muwatal in the war with the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, which broke out after the conclusion of the Treaty of Aleksandu.