I’m delighted to welcome award-winning historical fantasy author Luciana Cavallaro to Escape Into A Tale with a guest article looking at the fictionalisation of historical events.

Some years ago, I tutored students, unfortunately, I don’t have time to do this anymore. Before I delve any further and to introduce myself to Jan’s followers, my name is Luciana Cavallaro and I write Historical Fiction Fantasy and Thriller/Suspense stories. By day, my alter ego is a high school teacher, which leads me back to the beginning of this article: tutoring. This particular evening, one of my students had a research task for History and he chose to write about the legend of the 300 Spartans. Great, I thought, a topic I can provide lots of insight and information. Before I continue, let me say this was a thirteen-year-old boy.

The first thing he asked was whether the movie 300 was true, and did the war between the Spartans and the Persians happen? I told him the war was true but not as the film depicted the events. What followed was a series of questions about the film and to my dismay, how he thought the movie was factual. I pointed out the movie was based on a graphic novel, an overly fantasised story with very little accuracy. It took some convincing that no hippopotamus or a hunchback was ever involved in the battle of Thermopylae!

Fictionalising historical events has been around since the dawn of storytelling. Myths and legends tell of heroic deeds, transgressions of individuals and in some instances, weave tales of disasters that wipe out entire races. For instance, let’s look at Homer’s tale of TheIliad. Was there a war? Was Helen really a Queen of Sparta? Did any of the heroes in the story exist? This famous story has initiated many debates amongst scholars and archaeologists.

Troy VI-VII East Gate cul de sac Troy IX walls on the right. These were massive defensive walls and only a third of the height remains.

For a long time, the general consensus was it was just a story, a fanciful ode depicting an era eulogising the Olympian gods and heroes. However, contrary to the naysayers, archaeological evidence has proven otherwise. The site of Priam’s palace and the city of Troy, discovered by German businessman turned amateur archaeologist, Heinrich Schliemann, found proof of a war. He uncovered arrow heads, human bones and scorch marks on walls and in the earth that dates back to the time of the epic story. Archaeological excavations, still ongoing since the early 1900s, where experts working on the site have determined the war in Homer’s saga was a culmination of several wars over the centuries. The other myth that was debunked was how could one person recite 52,000-word poem and remember it all. It turns out quite easily. A historian/scientist journeyed to Armenia and recorded a bard, not unlike Homer, retell an historic battle through singing and the use of a lute. He recited the epic tale without the aid of a written script. Repetitive use of keywords, names and phrases, along with the music, were strategies used to help recollect lines and the order of the story. With regards to The Iliad, as the story was passed on from one storyteller to the next, creative license was taken and more add to the story.

Masonry tunnel at Tiryns

The site of King Agamemnon’s palace at Mycenae was found, as were Tiryns and Pylos, major Mycenaean cities mentioned in Homer’s tale. The walls of Tiryns were described by the bard as ‘mighty’ or ‘well-walled’ depending on the translation. The remains of the walls are impressive even to this day and when you see them, you can understand why he called them ‘mighty’. Weapons, helmets, armour described by Homer have also been found at the site of Mycenae and you can see them in the museum located next to the ruins.

Path up to the Lion Gate, Mycenae (they are huge and impressive!)

The Mask of Agamemnon, a gold funeral mask, dated 1550–1500 BC

‘Meriones gave Odysseus … a cleverly made leather helmet … On the inside there was a strong lining of interwoven straps, onto which a felt cap had been sewn in. The outside was cleverly adorned all round with rows of white tusks from a shiny-toothed boar, the tusks running in alternated directions in each row.’

Homer, The Iliad, Book 10, Lines 260-265

I count myself fortunate, as I’ve visited the ruins of Mycenae, Tiryns and Troy. It was, and still is, the highlight of my trip and one of the reasons I write Historical Fiction Fantasy.

Back to my student, in their excitement, they informed me a sequel was made: 300 – rise of an empire. I did not go and watch it, though I did see the movie 300. If you enjoy mindless action, blood and gore, then watch it. If you’re after historical accuracy and depiction of the Battle of Thermopylae, better to read Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire.

Luciana Cavallaro, genre-bending fiction author, is the multi award-winning author of The Labyrinthine Journey, Minotaur’s Lair and The Guardian’s Legacy. She has been nominated for book awards in the action/adventure and historical fiction genres, Finalist in the New Media Film Festival and Finalist in the Page Turner Awards. She is also rather proud of her ambitious attempt at driving her first car at the age of three. (Just between us, this was when she gave her father high blood pressure … and the beginning of her adventures).

Where to connect with Luciana

Website: www.lucianacavallaro.me

Download sample chapters: https://www.subscribepage.com/softgs

Email: lucianacava@proton.me

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Luciana-Cavallaro/e/B009QHIKN2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1419996879&sr=8-1

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Where to buy Luciana’s books

Buy direct: https://lucianacavallaro.me/shop/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Luciana-Cavallaro/e/B009QHIKN2/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1419996879&sr=8-1

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