When Does "Memnon" (2024) Take Place?
"Memnon" is a historical fiction stageplay written by Will Power that released September 5th, 2024. So when is "Memnon" set?
It takes place in the year:
We know this because it depicts the arrival of the legendary Aetheopian King Memnon during the quasi-legendary Trojan War, which (though quasi-legendary) is usually placed in the ten years from 1194 BC to 1184 BC based on the writings of Eratosthenes and the archaeological record. Polydamas declares, "For 10 years, we stave off the Achaeans!" That would make it the final year of the Trojan War, 1184 AD.
1184 BC
We know this because it depicts the arrival of the legendary Aetheopian King Memnon during the quasi-legendary Trojan War, which (though quasi-legendary) is usually placed in the ten years from 1194 BC to 1184 BC based on the writings of Eratosthenes and the archaeological record. Polydamas declares, "For 10 years, we stave off the Achaeans!" That would make it the final year of the Trojan War, 1184 AD.
[HOWEVER, other writers dated the war to 1344 BC to 1334 BC, making the last year 1334 BC, or 1260 BC to 1250 BC, making the final year 1250 BC.]
More specifically, during the opening scene Polydamas tells us it has been "It's been 3 days since the burying of Hector.", which is depicted in the very last scene of “The Iliad” (800 BCE), which also probably takes place in 1184 BC.
The climax of the narrative shows the fight between King Memnon and Achilles at Troy and, during the third scene, Memnon had only offered, "I will fight for 2 days and, after which, the king returns." So the entire narrative happens in less than a week within whichever calendar year it takes place in.
