Homer is the name of a legendary figure in Greek mythology. He is believed to be the author of two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, that are among the world’s oldest works of literature. The poems were likely composed sometime between 750 and 650 BC, but there is no consensus about when exactly Homer lived. It is generally accepted that he was an oral poet who composed his works to be performed in an epic tradition, but there is no evidence of any social or professional status for him as an author or performer.
Homer’s work has been dated to between 8th and 9th centuries BC. Ancient Greek scholars believed that Homer was born on Chios Island in Greece because it was mentioned in both the Iliad and Odyssey. However, more recent scholarship suggests that he may have lived in Anatolia (present-day Turkey).
The ancient Romans believed that Homer was blind but also said that he was a wandering storyteller who traveled widely across Greece performing his poems at public gatherings. They also believed that he had been killed by pirates while sailing home from one such gathering on Crete.
Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad are considered to be among the greatest works of literature ever written. The Iliad tells about a quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon that leads to the death of many Greek soldiers in the Trojan War. The Odyssey tells about Odysseus’ travels home after the war ended. Both poems were written sometime before 700 BC.
