National Geographic Channel will offer its take on the legend of Troy in one-hour special Beyond the Movie: Conquering Troy.
The special will air Friday, May 7 at 9 p.m. (EST/PST), exactly one week before the premiere of theatrical Troy, starring Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom.
"Did a Greek queen really fall in love with a Trojan warrior and run away with him?" the network asked. "Did King Agamemnon launch 1,000 ships across the Aegean Sea in an effort to win her back? Did Paris, Helen, Achilles and even the city of Troy itself really exist?"
Conquering Troy
tells the tale of eccentric businessman Heinrich Schliemann, who would later be heralded as the father of archaeology.
In the mid-19th century, obsessed with proving the veracity of Homer's epic poems, Schliemann traveled to Greece and Turkey in pursuit of the lost cities of Mycenae and Troy. In the process, he discovered much more, including treasures dated centuries before the time of the Trojan War.
But while he was able to uncover some remarkable finds, it was not until a century later that researchers and scientists could confirm that Schliemann had indeed found the legendary city of Troy, the network said.
