Greece: Ancient legacies, modern society, delicious food

Have you ever wondered why Homer's Iliad is still so popular? Bestselling writer Thomas Cahill says it's because it's a real boy's story. In this hour of "To the Best of Our Knowledge," our enduring fascination with the Ancient Greeks. Also, an archaeologist who's excavating the real Troy. And, a portrait of modern Athens.

SEGMENT 1: Best-selling author Thomas Cahill is writing a series of books about ancient cultures that have shaped our world. The latest one's called "Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter." Cahill tells Steve Paulson about the various ancient Greek city-states and their artistic and political legacy. Also, food writer Francine Segan talks about the sumptuous foods of ancient Greece, with recipes available on the TTBOOK website.

SEGMENT 2: William Aylward is an archaeologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who has done extensive field work at the site of Troy in modern day Turkey. He tells Jim Fleming that there is no historical record of the Trojan War because the events happened before writing was invented, but the site reveals clues about battles having taken place there. And we get more recipes from Francine Segan, inspired by the Greek gods and goddesses, and available on the TTBOOK website. Also, Mary Lefkowitz is the author of "Greek Gods, Human Lives: What We Can Learn from Myths." She tells Steve Paulson that the Greek gods seem too much like us to impress most modern people.

SEGMENT 3: George Sarrinikolaou was born in Greece and now lives in New York. He tells Anne Strainchamps that he can pass for a Greek, but still feels like an outsider there. He loves Greece and has written a book called "Facing Athens: Encounters with the Modern City." Barry Unsworth is one of England's most admired writers. His latest book is "Crete." Unsworth tells Steve Paulson that the layers of history are tangible on the island, and talks about some of Crete's mythic figures. And Francine Segan offers a recipe from Crete, available on the TTBOOK website. Segan's book is "The Philosopher's Kitchen: Recipes from Ancient Greece and Rome for the Modern Cook."