I suspect there really was a Trojan horse, though not something on the Hollywood scale.
Modern archaeology has uncovered much documentary evidence that the Trojan War really did take place - in addition, a Trojan Horse really wouldn’t have taken any new technology that wasn’t used in the siege engines and wagons of the day.
It was....drum roll please......APRIL 1st!
Didn’t Schliemann discover that there were seven layers of ruins at the site of Troy, not just those of one city?
My favorite Iliad moment: the gullible citizens of Troy have dragged the wooden horse past the city gates. A man named Laocoon shouts “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!” and hurls his spear at the horse. Its impact makes the hidden Greeks’ weapons rattle. That night, for attempting to thwart the will of the gods, Zeus sends giant serpents to strangle Laocoon and his sons.
Maybe Laocoon should have shouted,
“Beware of gifts bearing Greeks!”
;^)