When did Homer start writing?
Eleanor Gray
Updated on March 18, 2026
The Greek poet Homer was born sometime between the 12th and 8th centuries BC, possibly somewhere on the coast of Asia Minor. He is famous for the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, which have had an enormous effect on Western culture, but very little is known about their alleged author.
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In this way, when did Homer write?
Author Says a Whole Culture—Not a Single 'Homer'—Wrote 'Iliad,' 'Odyssey' Dating to about 750 B.C., this bust is said to be of the Greek poet Homer, author of The Iliad and The Odyssey—epic poems passed down orally by bards long before they were written down.
Secondly, did Homer actually exist? The painting glorifies all the antiquated theories that held that Homer was a blind, illiterate genius poet who singlehandedly created two of the greatest stories in human history, the Odyssey and the Iliad. As appealing as that portrayal may be, it's most likely not true.
Considering this, when was the Iliad written?
8th century
When was Homer born and when did he die?
Ionia
Related Question AnswersWho wrote the Odyssey?
HomerWhy is Homer so important?
Homer's most important contribution to Greek culture was to provide a common set of values that enshrined the Greeks' own ideas about themselves. His poems provided a fixed model of heroism, nobility and the good life to which all Greeks, especially aristocrats, subscribed.How old is the Iliad?
According to scientists, the Illiad was written within 50 years of 762 B.C. Here's how they dated the great work: The scientists tracked the words in the "Iliad" the way they would track genes in a genome.What are the characteristics of an epic?
Epics have seven main characteristics:- The hero is outstanding.
- The setting is large.
- The action is made of deeds of great valour or requiring superhuman courage.
- Supernatural forces—gods, angels, demons—insert themselves in the action.
- It is written in a very special style (verse as opposed to prose).