It was the first since the Russia-Ukraine war began. A few hours ago, Kyiv launched a massive drone strike in Siberia, Russia. The attack came after the second round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, which began in Istanbul. Volodymyr Zelensky named it “Operation Spiderweb.” Several reports now describe the operation as Ukraine’s modern version of the ‘Trojan Horse’ tactic, famously used during the ancient Greek Trojan War (12th–13th century BC). What exactly is the ‘Trojan Horse’ tactic? Here’s what you need to know.
What Ukraine Did In Their Operation Spiderweb?
This approach mirrors the ancient Greek Trojan Horse by exploiting trust or oversight, allowing Ukraine to strike from within or unexpectedly, causing significant disruption. Ukraine smuggled drones into Russia, concealed within trucks or containers. Then they launched surprise attacks on critical targets- air bases- bypassing Russia’s defences through deception. The attack caused massive destruction to Russia. The Trojan Horse is described as a clever trick used during this war. As the Greeks couldn’t get past the strong walls of the city of Troy, they built a big wooden horse and hid soldiers inside it.
What Is This Ancient Greek Strategy?
Troy was the city where the Trojan people lived in Greece. Paris, the young prince of the city, fell in love with Helen, the wife of Menelaus, one of the Greek kings, and smuggled her to Troy. Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon then declared war on Troy and gathered Greek warriors to form an army. Famous Greek heroes such as Achilles, Odysseus, Ajax, and Phoenix participated in this. They sailed to Troy and laid siege to the city.
The biggest obstacle the Greeks faced in the Trojan War was the walls surrounding the city of Troy. The Greeks tried hard to break through the gates and enter the city. After a ten-year siege, they failed, so they devised a plan.
The Trojan Horse is described as a clever trick used during this war. As the Greeks couldn’t get past the strong walls of the city of Troy, they built a big wooden horse and hid soldiers inside it. They pretended to give the horse as a gift and acted like they were leaving. The people of Troy thought the war was over and brought the horse inside their city. At night, the hidden soldiers came out, opened the city gates, and let the Greek army in to win the war.
Is The City Of Troy A Work Of Fiction?
Scholars do not consider the city of Troy a work of fiction, although they have debated its historical reality for centuries because of its prominent role in ancient Greek mythology, especially in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. The Iliad describes Troy as a powerful city besieged by the Greeks, with the Trojan Horse as a key element in its fall. These epics, composed around the 8th century BC, blend historical elements with myth, including divine interventions and exaggerated heroics, leading some to question their historicity. The Trojan War and the Trojan Horse, as described by Homer, are likely a mix of historical events and poetic invention. The war may reflect real conflicts in the region, but the dramatic details, such as the horse, may be symbolic or fictionalised to enhance the narrative.
Hisarlik In Northwestern Turkey
Historians believe the ancient city of Troy stood at Hisarlik in northwestern Turkey. In the 1870s, Heinrich Schliemann began archaeological excavations and discovered that people had built and rebuilt the site many times over thousands of years. Researchers identified these layers as Troy I to Troy IX, dating from around 3000 BC to 500 AD. They dated one specific layer, Troy VIIa, to around 1200–1180 BC. This period matches the time of the Trojan War described in ancient Greek stories. Evidence of destruction in this layer suggests that a conflict, possibly the legendary war, damaged or destroyed the city.
Archaeologists found artifacts like pottery, tools, and fortifications at Hisarlik that match descriptions of a prosperous Bronze Age city. They also discovered inscriptions and seals that suggest the site had connections to the Hittite Empire, which referred to a city called Wilusa—possibly Ilios, another name for Troy.
Before Heinrich Schliemann’s discoveries, many scholars regarded Troy as a purely mythical city, similar to Atlantis. Even today, although historians accept the physical city as real, they often view the details of the Trojan War and the story of the Trojan Horse as legendary additions, since archaeologists have not found direct evidence of the war itself.
