Like all things in life, the Trojan War had more than one cause. Should Helen have honored the fact that She was married to Menelaus? Yes However, Paris could have also respected Helen's marriage if for no other reason than it being protected by an interpolitical treaty. I understand that in the Ancient Greek mind the onus was on Helen to do the right thing because the Greeks had the "boys will be boys" attitude but even then I have no doubt Hector gave Paris at least side eye every now and then saying, "Really, dude? You HAD to have her?!"
Helen might have been a direct metaphor for the Hellespont, a critical point for controlling trade between the Aegean and the regions all around the black sea. For all those nation states to form a Greek League and send warriors to die - trade expansion would have been a real reason over helping one leader solve his lady -beef. Women and female goddess figures were usually directly associated with water geography. Maybe Helen of Sparta did run away with Paris, but maybe it poetically linked with the confederate desire to expand trade by wresting it from the Dardanians. Trade, riches, and booty. One thing's for sure. After the Greeks had control of Troy, they had trade control over the Hellespont which expanded their money making opportunities beyond the Aegean. Opportunities previously owned by Troy and Dardania.
The connection between the Trojan War legend, the invasions of the Sea Peoples and the Bronze Age Collapse is hazy, but interesting. Were the Trojans actually Hittites? Were the Greeks a branch of the so-called Sea Peoples? Did these invasions lead to the Bronze Age Collapse, or were they just symptoms of it?
sounds more like a Book Report rather something that YOU....Yourswelf heavily delved on to find out who the REAL Helenwas and not just skim over the surface " facts " already masde accessible to the general public...are YOU willing to accetpt AND Discover the REAL HELEN. ??!!
