Homer

Traditionally placed in the 8th century BCE, Homer is widely credited with the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that stand at the center of ancient Greek literature. Even in antiquity, though, details about his life were uncertain, and scholars have long debated whether “Homer” refers to one historical poet, a legendary figure, or a name attached to a broader oral tradition.

What is clear is the scale of his influence. The Iliad and the Odyssey became foundational texts in the Greek world, shaping education, storytelling, and later literature across Europe and beyond. Their themes of war, homecoming, honor, loss, and endurance have kept them alive for more than two millennia.

Because no verified contemporary portrait survives, images of Homer usually show later artistic or sculptural interpretations rather than a true likeness. Even so, the figure of Homer remains one of the most recognizable in literary history: half poet, half legend, and still very much alive through the poems themselves.