Trojan War Aftermath: The Nostoi and the Returns of the Heroes

Trojan War Aftermath: The Nostoi and the Returns of the Heroes

After Troy fell, the Greek heroes faced a perilous journey home—if they made it at all. The Nostoi, or 'Returns,' is the lost epic cycle that recounts the fates of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Odysseus, Nestor, and others. Some reached home only to be murdered; others were shipwrecked, exiled, or driven mad. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the historical and mythical aftermath of the Trojan War, drawing on fragments of the Nostoi, Proclus's summary, and archaeological evidence from Mycenaean Greece. They discuss Agamemnon's murder by Clytemnestra, Menelaus's eight-year wanderings to Egypt, and the strange story of Odysseus's final journey inland. They also consider what the historical collapse of Mycenaean palatial centers might tell us about the chaos that followed the war. Tune in for a deep dive into the forgotten epics that complete the Trojan War saga. #TrojanWar #Nostoi #GreekMythology #Agamemnon #Menelaus #Odysseus #Clytemnestra #Mycenae #EpicCycle #Proclus #Homer #Odyssey #BronzeAge #MycenaeanGreece #Aeschylus #HelenInEgypt #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Trojan War: The Gods Who Chose Sides

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the divine machinery behind the Trojan War. From the Judgment of Paris to the theomachy in Iliad Book 20, they unpack how gods like Aphrodite, Hera, Athena, Apollo, and Ares actively shaped battles and fates. They discuss the Homeric concept of theos (divine intervention) versus ate (delusion sent by gods), and how mortals like Diomedes could wound Aphrodite and Ares. The conversation touches on the cult of Athena at Troy (the Palladion), the role of Thetis, and the historical parallels in Hittite prayers where gods were invoked to intervene in conflicts. They also consider whether the gods' involvement reflects real Bronze Age religious practice or poetic storytelling. #TrojanWar #GreekMythology #Homer #Iliad #Theomachy #JudgmentofParis #Aphrodite #Hera #Athena #Apollo #Ares #Diomedes #Palladion #Thetis #DivineIntervention #BronzeAge #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Achilles and Patroclus: Love, War, and the Myrmidons

We dive into the tangled relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, the elite Myrmidon warriors, and the debated nature of their bond. Lucas explores the Homeric evidence—philotes and hetairos—versus later interpretations from Aeschylus, Plato, and ancient Greek social norms. We also uncover the historical Myrmidons: were they a real Thessalian tribe from Phthia? The episode touches on Bronze Age warrior culture, the meaning of kleos, and how the Iliad uses their relationship to heighten the tragedy of Hector and the fall of Troy. Luna asks about the word 'Myrmidon' meaning 'ant people' and whether the Myrmidons were actual historical soldiers or epic inventions. We also discuss the role of the chariot in battle and the emotional weight of Achilles' grief. No prior deep knowledge of the Iliad is required—just a curiosity about how myth and history blur. #Achilles #Patroclus #Myrmidons #Iliad #Homer #BronzeAge #Phthia #Thessaly #Kleos #AncientGreekWarfare #ChariotWarfare #HomericEpic #GreekMythology #LoveInAntiquity #TrojanWar #FexingoHistory #History #AncientHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Homeric Hymns: The Trojan War in Greek Religion

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Homeric Hymns — ancient poems that shaped how Greeks worshipped the gods of the Trojan War. From the Hymn to Aphrodite, which tells of Anchises and the birth of Aeneas, to the Hymn to Apollo, linking the god to Troy through his arrows, they trace how these songs turned myth into ritual. They discuss the Hymn to Demeter and its Eleusinian Mysteries, the Hymn to Hermes with its cattle theft, and the Hymn to Dionysus involving pirates. Lucas explains how these hymns, composed around 700–500 BCE, functioned as preludes to epic recitations and were used in festivals like the Panathenaea. He covers the textual history — the 33 hymns in the medieval manuscripts, the lost ones, and the debate over authorship, with some scholars attributing them to Homer. The conversation also touches on archaeological evidence from sites like Delos and Delphi that confirms the hymns' descriptions of cult practices. Luna draws connections to earlier episodes on Priam's Troy and Helen, showing how the hymns fill gaps in the epic narrative. #HomericHymns #Aphrodite #Apollo #Anchises #Aeneas #EleusinianMysteries #Hermes #Dionysus #Delos #Delphi #Panathenaea #GreekReligion #TrojanWar #AncientGreece #Mythology #OralTradition #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Walls of Troy: Hittite Engineering and the Siege

In this episode, Lucas and Luna examine the physical walls of Troy—not just as a poetic backdrop but as real Bronze Age fortifications. They explore the three phases of Troy's walls (Troy II, VI, VIIa), the cyclopean masonry and corbel-vaulted gates that made the city an engineering marvel. Lucas explains how Hittite records help date the walls and why the famous 'Scaean Gate' might match a Hittite relief. They also discuss the siege techniques that could actually work against such defenses, from battering rams to sapping, and what a Mycenaean army would have needed to sustain a decade-long blockade. Luna asks whether the Trojan Horse could have been a siege tower in disguise, and Lucas digs into the archaeological evidence—including a collapsed gate from Troy VIIa. This episode ties together textual sources, Hittite diplomatic correspondence, and the latest excavations at Hisarlik to give listeners a tangible sense of what it meant to attack or defend Troy's towering walls. #TrojanWalls #Hisarlik #TroyVI #TroyVIIa #CyclopeanMasonry #HittiteEngineering #ScaeanGate #CorbelArch #SiegeWarfare #BatteringRam #Ahhiyawa #Wilusa #Alaksandu #MycenaeanArmy #BronzeAge #Fortifications #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]