Homer's historical account is to a large extent valuable in providing evidence and valuable insight into

the religious zeitgeist of the Myceanans and Trojans within the Late Bronze Age, which is corroborated
through temples found in Athens. The iliad also reveals the war-culture and the treatment of Women in
forming Greek identity. Lastly, the Iliad reflects political hegemony of the Myceaneans and their
militaristic ambitions. Despite the limitations of the Iliad which include its core purpose which is to
entertain and its huge anachronistic gap. In saying this, the Iliad is far more valuable than limited, as it
provides critical evidence into Mycenaean society.

The Iliad embodies the Bronze Age manner of life and demonstrates the civilisation of the time. Homer's
Trojan War reflects the cultural qualities and beliefs of the period through the actions of key characters
in the epic, prominently their sentiments. The Trojan War, as written by Homer, begins with Prince Paris
of Troy kidnapping Helen, the wife of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae. It is clear from the employment of
a distinct motivation, the ten-year siege to recapture Helen, reveals that the Bronze Age was a time of
war where no actual purpose was required to bring about battle. Helen becomes an increasingly
apposite figure amongst historiographical discourse with revisionist historiography claiming she
symbolised the idea of female subservience, a cultural attitude that runs not only in Homer’s Trojan war
but also the rest of Greek mythology which associates women with the idea of promiscuity and libidinal
hegemony. Helen was just a scapegoat for starting the attack on Troy. Evidently Helen's character
belongs to Agamemnon, and that the Trojan War began as a means of reclaiming his property rather
than a sentimental reunion with his wife. Homer’s Iliad becomes valuable in revealing the widespread
normalisation of patriarchal maltreatment towards and patriarchal hegemony within the Late Bronze
Age. The huge focus on gender roles are also vehemently displayed on Mycenaean pottery which
presented the huge warrior culture of the Myceaneans during the late Bronze age alluding to the
significance of war and valiant men fighting for their nation and the King. The pottery was also traded
internationally disseminate and highlight to the whole world the military and cultural strength of the
Myceaneans. In saying this the Iliad is limited by the fact that it was witten 400 years later than the
attack on Troy, spurring several anachronisms between the late Bronze age and Homeric ages. However,
archeological evidence such as the Mycenaean pottery still corroborates and reveals to us the huge war
culture of Mycenaea and the maltreatment of women.

Homer's Iliad confirms the Bronze Age's political background. Mycenae, one of the most powerful
nations at the period, is depicted prominently and reverently in Homer's Trojan War. Evidence from the
Bronze Age, such as the navy, allies, and political forces, may be created to give the Greeks a better
picture. As a result, despite the Iliad's prejudice, other historians' supporting evidence for Mycenae's
power throughout history, as well as the existence of archaeological materials, such as Mycenans grave
that depicted myeacean in their boast-husk helmets. This depiction of the Greeks' power is corroborated
by Korfmann who associates their reputation with the title ‘sacker of cities’. Thucydides, also mentions
Agamemnon to have the largest and strongest navy among Bronze Age civilisations. The fear of
Agamemon's strong navy-force, according to ancient Greek scholar Thucydides, was the most likely cause
of Homer's Trojan War. This source alludes Mycenae's reputation as the most powerful country and
depicts the Bronze Age political scene by establishing partnerships between nations. The major problem
with Thucydides' evidence for Homer's Trojan War is that he is constrained as a historical source due to
his prejudice based on his Greek ethnicity, which coincides with Homer's Greek history. A source like this
is naturally sympathetic to the Greek nation of Mycenae, he may embellish facts in order to create a
more prominent and important image for his own country.

The Trojan war is an invaluable historical account that provides insight into the religious zeitgeist of the
Late Bronze Age. Firstly, the Iliad’s form as an epic poem, which inherently requires elements of
meta-theatricality and exaggeration for it to appeal to the Greeks. As a result of this decision, historians
believe that much of the story is dramatised in order to entertain an audience, and that religion's
importance is enhanced as gods and goddesses take physical shape instead of being a symbol within the
story. Further, there exists an anachronism pertaining to Helen’s hair, it is said that Helen had blonde
hair, however, historians have disputed that Blonde hair was not prevalent in the Late Bronze Age which
evokes questions as to why Homer decided to say Blonde hair. Historians assert that Helen represents
the prosperity of Mycenae being the Gold. The Iliad can be used to draw conclusions about the Bronze
Age and canonical importance, emphasising the prominence of Homer's Trojan War. The explicit
references of Greek gods asserts the significance of religion within the Late Bronze Age, providing
historians with the religious nature and beliefs of Myceanans and Trojans in the Late Bronze Age. The
Troy site of Hissarlik, Turkey, corroborates the religious ideals and importance amongst the Trojans and
Greeks. Blegan and Dörpfeld discovered evidence of the Temple of Athena, the Greek Goddess of
wisdom and war, within Troy's walls, which is mentioned directly in Homer's Trojan War, proving that the
religious contexts described in the Iliad are the same religious contexts that existed during the Bronze
Age.

Conclusively, The Iliad is increasingly valuable rather than limited although limitations such as
dramatisations on Homer's part exist it still reveals the Byzantine intricacies of the values and cultural
zeitgeist of Myceanans and Trojans. The Iliad also confers the significance of imperialistic expansionism
as well as the large war-fare culture. Through Homer’s account we become aware of the sexual
subjugation of women and the normalisation of patriachical maltreatment, unveiling the patarichical
hegemony of men during the late Bronze Age.