Troy As a Tourist Destinat？on in Antiquity

The site of Troy is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, visited by thousands of people every year. The fame of the city rests on the Iliad, the epic poem that deals with the Trojan War. Since the Iliad, the first literature of the western culture, has been famous since ancient times, it is no wonder that people all over the world want to see the remains of Troy where the famous Trojan War took place. This is not a modern phenomenon, however, as Troy was a tourist destination in antiquity as well. Troy was an important destination especially during the Roman rule since the Romans believed that the Trojans founded their city. The Roman connection brought huge benefits to the city as the city became a tourist destination for Romans. Famous Romans including Caesar and Hadrian visited the city and helped the city financially. With the expansion of Christianity, the foundation myths of Rome became less popular and this inevitably led to the decline of the ties between Troy and Rome, which in turn must have weakened its status as a tourist destination