Interview on the Great Exhibition at the Colosseum Dedicated to Troy: 'Aeneas Is the Bridge Between Our Cultures'

A major exhibition titled "Troia e Roma. Miti, leggende, storie del Mediterraneo antico" will open at the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo in Rome on June 12, 2026, featuring over 220 artifacts from 19 Turkish museums, including 50 works never before seen by the Italian public. The show is curated with Sinem Düzgören, the new director of the Museo di Troia in Çanakkale, who arranged the loan of 100 works from her museum. The exhibition includes a monumental replica of the Trojan Horse and highlights the mythological and historical ties between Troy and Rome, with key pieces such as the Head of Augustus and a marble copy of the Aphrodite of Cnidus.

This exhibition matters because it represents a significant act of cultural diplomacy between Italy and Turkey, promoted under the Piano Mattei for Africa and the Mediterranean. By centering on the figure of Aeneas as a bridge between cultures, the show underscores how ancient Mediterranean civilizations shared a common heritage, challenging modern narratives of cultural separation. It also offers Italian audiences rare access to Turkish archaeological treasures, reinforcing the idea that art and myth can foster international dialogue and mutual understanding.