The Trojan War was fought by princes of ancient Greece against the city of Troy (Illium). The purpose of the war was to recover the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen. She was the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Paris, the son of King Priam of Troy, had carried her away.
A later legend traced the origin of the war to jealous goddesses. The gods and goddesses were feasting together to celebrate the marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Eris, the goddess of discord, had not been invited. She came, however, and threw among the guests a golden apple, on which was inscribed "For the fairest." Three goddesses claimed the apple. They were Hera (Juno), wife of Zeus (Jupiter) and the queen of heaven; Athena (Minerva), the goddess of wisdom; and Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love.
The gods called upon Paris to award the prize of beauty. Hera promised him power and riches if he decided in her favor. Athena offered him wisdom and glory in war. Then Aphrodite said she would give him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris gave her the apple. Hera and Athena became bitter enemies of the Trojans.
Helen, the fairest woman on earth, was already married. Her husband, Menealus, was the king of Sparta. Paris, under Aphrodite's protection, sailed to Sparta, won Helen's love, and carried her off to Troy, a city on the Dardanelles (Canakkale). Toward the southeast is snowcapped Mount Ida (Kaz Dagi, highest point 5810 ft). There, according to legend, Zeus, king of the gods, sat and watched the siege of Troy.
Interestingly, Ida also means the goddess of youth, Ithunn in Old Norse, the North Germanic language of the Scandinavian people before the 14th century.