Re: Some questions about ancient Middle Eastern languages

grapheus_at_www.com
Date: 12/28/04 

Date: 28 Dec 2004 07:45:03 -0800

Jacques Guy wrote:
> quentinhudson@hotmail.com wrote:
> >
> > I am a total novice to this subject, but I have a number of
questions
> > which I was hoping the good people of this newsgroup could help me
> > with:
>
> SNIP
> > Finally, what language did the Trojans speak? Was it a kind of
Greek,
> > or were they a seperate people altogether?
>
> Je passe le microphone à notre expert en la matière, Monsieur
Graphée,
> docteur ès Fous Connus.

Mr Graphée will answer :
The question is not sufficiently precise, because you didn't give the
DATE you had in mind.
Following Manfred Korfmann's diggins and J.Faucounau's theory (See
mainly his books : Les Proto-Ioniens.." and "Les Peuples de la Mer...")
the history of Troy has been the following :
a)- Troy was created c. 3,000 BC, first as a location where to dry the
fish, then as a commercial city by the Proto-Ionian - speaking a GREEK
dialect - in a Luwian country.
b)- From 2920 to c.2300 (Ytoy I to Troy III), this city became more and
more cosmopolitan.
c)- From 2300 to 1700 (Troy IV and V), the city was retaken by
LUWIAN-speaking population. So, one may think that the language of the
Trojans was, at that time, some kind of "Greco-Luvian creole".
d)- During the Troy VI period (1700 to 1250BC), there has been no big
change in the population, but the links with the Greek World increased
a bit. So that, the Trojan kings generally bore two names : one Luwian
(Pâris), the other "Creole Greek" (Alexandus).
e)- The city was conquered by the Mycenaeans c. 1250, thanks to an
Earthquake (Ytoy VIIa). But this "occupation" did last only a very
short time (less than 50 years), because the city was destroyed again
c. 1200 by a giant tsunami, due to the "Second Theran Collapse". The
city was then, practically abandonned, but progressively reoccupied by
people of Thracian origin, and later by Greeks again, mainly from
Euboia (c. 1000 BC) (Troy VIIb1 to VII b3).
Hope this answer to your question.
grapheus

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