Eratosthenes calculated 1184 BCE as the traditional date for Troy’s fall.
Eratosthenes of Cyrene was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, geographer, and scholar who directed the Library of Alexandria. Ancient writers credited him with using chronological calculations to place the destruction of Troy in 1184 BCE, often giving the more precise date of 11 June 1184 BCE.
This date belongs to ancient literary chronology rather than securely established archaeological history. The Trojan War tradition developed through epic poetry and later mythographic works, while the archaeological site identified with Troy contains multiple settlement layers. Scholars continue to debate which layer, if any, corresponds to the conflict reflected in Homeric tradition.
Eratosthenes is also famous for estimating Earth’s circumference and for creating the sieve that bears his name, a method for finding prime numbers. His Trojan chronology should not be confused with a modern excavation date: archaeology and ancient literary timelines answer different kinds of historical questions.