Childhood Dream - To Prove Homer's Epic's Reality

Heinrich Schliemann (1822-1890), was born in the Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany and during his early schooling, just like many of us, he read Homer’s epics such as The Odyssey. During this time, Homer’s epics were taught as works of pure fiction. However, young Heinrich was so intrigued and taken by these epics that from that moment he became determined to prove the accuracy of the geographical locations and events described in the epics through archaeological excavation. Heinrich developed a dream! From that point on, the purpose of Heinrich Schliemann’s life was clear: to discover the locations described in Homer’s epics. His formal education ended at 14 when he was apprenticed to a grocer. He then married and became a successful businessman in Russia. In 1850 Heinrich Schliemann became a citizen of the United States while living in California and after retiring in 1863 with a large fortune, he devoted his life to the fulfillment of his boyhood dream. In 1870 Schliemann began excavations on the hill of Hissarlik, Turkey, where he hoped to find the remains of the ancient city of Troy. After discovering several layers of cities, Schliemann proclaimed the second layer from the bottom to be the city of Troy. However, it was later discovered that the ruins were actually of an earlier settlement and that the Homeric Troy was at a higher level. From 1876 to 1885 Schliemann made great discoveries. First, he excavated the tombs of the Mycenaean kings at Mycenae, Greece and Odysseus’ homeland, Ithaca, also in Greece. Next came the excavation of the ruins of the great palace at Tiryns, Greece. Due to Schlieman’s childhood dream and determination, most scholars today know that the events and locations described by Homer have some basis in fact.

Schlieman's dream and determination are exemplary to the rest of us.

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