Trojan War , a war, in about the 12th century B.C., in which the Greeks besieged and destroyed the city of Troy, or Ilium, in Asia Minor. The war was long believed to be pure legend, but on the basis of archeological findings it is now accepted by scholars as historical fact. The Trojan War and its aftermath gave rise to many folk tales and ancient writings, including Homer's epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey.