Howard B. Urick

The ancient city of Troy was located along the northwest coast of Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey. It occupied a strategic position on the Dardanelles, a narrow water channel that connects the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, via the Sea of Marmara. This was one of the most important trade routes in the ancient world, and Troy’s location enabled the city and its inhabitants to flourish, especially during the Bronze Age. Over the past two centuries Troy has become one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Yet despite its fame, both in literature and in our imaginations, it remains a place shrouded in myth and legend, unlike almost any other. The tale of the Trojan War is perhaps the most famous story of ancient Greek mythology. For almost 3,000 years, the fabled feud between Greeks and Trojans has captivated audiences. Tradition holds that the war took place during the Mycenaean Age, toward the end of the second millennium B.C., a time of legendary heroes and warriors. Combatants on both sides, including Achilles, Odysseus, Ajax, Agamemnon, Hector, and Aeneas remain household names even today. The Trojan War and its events provide the background for two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were supposedly composed by the poet Homer around the eighth century B.C. But these are just two examples out of the many works of ancient literature that chronicle the war’s events. The mythical conflict took place outside the walls of Troy, an ancient city on the coast of Asia Minor. But the seeds of war were sown far from there, in the city of Sparta on the Greek mainland. According to legend, the Trojan prince Paris visited Sparta, which at the time was ruled by King Menelaus. Menelaus’ wife Helen was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. When Paris departed Greece, he left with Helen by his side, enraging the Spartan leader. Not only was Menelaus a formidable king in his own right, but his brother Agamemnon was the king of Mycenae, and the most powerful ruler in Greece. Agamemnon assembled a massive army and set sail across the Aegean Sea with over 1,000 ships, determined to retrieve Helen from Troy. For the ancient Greeks, the Trojan War was a real historical event fought by their heroic ancestors. But until 150 years ago, many modern historians doubted its authenticity, considering it to be a fictional–albeit entertaining–story created by ancient writers. There was no definitive proof that the city of Troy even existed. That all began to change in the mid-nineteenth century, when an amateur archaeologist named Frank Calvert began investigating a 100-foot-high hill near the northwestern coast of Turkey called Hisarlik (“Place of Fortresses”). Much of the topography there seemed to match Homer’s descriptions, and Calvert became convinced that the legendary city of Troy was buried beneath the hill. Calvert joined forces with German businessman Heinrich Schliemann, and in the 1870s the first large-scale excavations of the site began. They would soon unearth an extraordinary lost ancient city with a 4,000 year-old history. It would become one of the most important archaeological discoveries of all time. Over the past century and half, around 50 archaeological campaigns have been conducted at Troy. Led by some of the field of archaeology’s most renowned scholars, including William Dörpfield, Carl Blegen, Manfred Korfmann, and C. Brian Rose, they have continued to further unlock the site’s hidden history These excavations have revealed an amazingly rich, yet complex archaeological picture. The hill of Hisarlik has been built upon, erased, and built upon again in a continuous cycle that lasted millennia. Therefore we cannot accurately speak of Troy as one single city. 📷 : German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann sketching the ruins of the ancient city of Troy at Hisarlık, Turkey, during his excavations in late 19th Century. #drthehistories

In just two years under President Ibrahim Traoré's leadership in Burkina Faso: 1. The country's GDP rose from around $18.8 billion to $22.1 billion. 2. He turned down loans from the IMF and World Bank, declaring: “Africa has no need for the World Bank, IMF, Europe, or America.” 3. He cut ministers' and parliamentarians' salaries by 30% while raising civil servants' pay by 50%. 4. He fully cleared Burkina Faso’s domestic debts. 5. He launched the country’s first two tomato processing plants. 6. In 2023, he opened a modern gold mine to boost local refining capacity. 7. He ended the export of unprocessed gold from Burkina Faso to Europe. 8. He constructed Burkina Faso’s second cotton processing facility (the country previously had just one). 9. He established the nation’s first National Support Center for Artisanal Cotton Processing to help small-scale cotton farmers. 10. He prohibited British-style legal wigs and gowns in courts, replacing them with traditional Burkinabé clothing. 11. He supported agriculture by distributing more than 400 tractors, 239 tillers, 710 motor pumps, and 714 motorcycles to farmers and rural communities. 12. He supplied improved seeds and essential agricultural inputs to increase yields. 13. Tomato output grew from 315,000 metric tonnes in 2022 to 360,000 metric tonnes in 2024. 14. Millet production climbed from 907,000 metric tonnes in 2022 to 1.1 million metric tonnes in 2024. 15. Rice production rose from 280,000 metric tonnes in 2022 to 326,000 metric tonnes in 2024. 16. He banned French military operations on Burkinabé soil. 17. He prohibited French media outlets from operating in Burkina Faso. 18. He expelled French troops from the country. 19. His administration is actively building new roads, expanding existing ones, and upgrading gravel roads to paved surfaces. 20. Construction is underway on the new Ouagadougou-Donsin Airport, set for completion in 2025, with an annual capacity of 1 million passengers.

A modern depiction of the Colossus of Rhodes, rising to an impressive height of 33-48m, was renowned as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Erected between 292-280 BC by the talented Greek sculptor Chares, this grand statue was dedicated to the sun god Helios, commemorating Rhodes' triumph over Cyprus. Crafted from a combination of iron and brass, its core was packed with stone, and earthen ramps facilitated the assembly of its massive components. The statue graced the entrance of Mandraki Harbor for 54 years until a catastrophic earthquake in 226 BC brought it crashing down at the knees. While its exact site is still unknown, artistic representations of the Colossus continue to evoke wonder and spark the imagination. #archaeohistories

Sen. Warren D-MA opposes the deal: "I think that's a terrible mistake. The American people want us to stand and fight for health care, and that's what I believe we should do."

Tonight was a very bad night.

Some of these guys talk about themselves like they're decrepit and over the hill once they’ve hit 30. An otherwise decent fellow told me that "at this age" (probably 33ish) he's liable to injure himself getting out of bed chuckle chuckle. My brothers in Christ, William the Marshal was 70 when he led the cavalry charge that saved his country at the Battle of Lincoln. He was so excited to ride at the French that he almost forgot to don his helmet, and then he blasted three lances deep into their line. 70 YEARS OLD! You're probably no William Marshal, but you can hold off the decrepitude until you're at least 50 or 55 or older.

Mom said nobody will waste their time to wish me happy birthday.

@Sarah_sam22 Right 😍

"I love the way you're changing the subject" -- Elizabeth Warren owns MAGA Joe Kernen on CNBC

I'm calling for an investigation into whether President Trump manipulated the market to benefit his Wall Street donors—all while working people and small businesses paid the price. Did Trump help insiders cash in on his tariff flip-flopping? It sure looks like corruption.

All right, here it is—a review I’ve waited years to write: My in-depth look at George P. Cosmatos, Kurt Russell & Kevin Jarre’s legendary Western TOMBSTONE (1993) in 4K Ultra HD from Disney via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment! And praised be, it was worth the wait! @thedigitalbits thedigitalbits.com/item/tombstone…

Senate Republicans’ latest attack on the CFPB would let big banks rake in huge profits by slamming working people with outrageous overdraft fees. I spoke on the Senate floor to fight back—because American families deserve a system that works for them, not just Wall Street.

Elizabeth Warren: "What has [Trump] actually done? And the answer is nothing to lower prices, but he sure as heck has created a lot of economic chaos..."

Elizabeth Warren: "The way I see it is, is Elon, you'd better keep hiding behind those bags of money because we know in America who really stands up for people, and that's Mark Kelly."

Went today to a demonstration at the Texas State Capitol. Rep Lloyd Doggett and Sen Elizabeth Warren spoke. The crowd was big. Went to another event a few weeks ago and it was probably only 20% of this crowd. People powered momentum is growing.

Texas Democrats rally at state Capitol today. Stirring speeches by Reps. Ted Lieu (Cal), Austin Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Greg Cesar, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren!

I agree with Donald Trump that an unelected bureaucrat should be fired. Let’s start with Elon Musk.

This is a fight between the millions of hardworking people who don’t want to get cheated and a handful of billionaires like Elon Musk who want the chance to cheat them. npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-…