Did Homer write Iliad and the Odyssey based on real history or mythological imagination?

Question

The known history sometimes written on nonfictional events. Troy located on western Turkey and Helen of Troy was just an epic like Epic of Gilgamesh?

Answer 1

The Homeric epics most probably apply to the Greek Bronze Age. The discoveries of archaeologists, beginning with Schliemann at Troy and Mycenae, gave great satisfaction to those who would like to see the Homeric poems as reflections of the Mycenaean Age, and some scholars have accepted the mythological rulers of Attica and the Peloponnesos as historical figures. Others reject the myths as historical sources and regard Homer's evidence as more clearly reflecting his own time, although there is general agreement that of the material in the epics some could date back to the Mycenaean period. (Biers 1996, p. 64)

The two approaches can be found in M.I. Finley "The World of Odysseus"(New York, 1978) and Denys Page "History and the Homeric Iliad" (Berkeley, 1959, reprinted 1972). An interesting mordern archaeological perspective on Homer can be found in E.S. Sherratt, "Reading the texts: Archaeology and the Homeric Question" in the magazine "Antiquity", n° 64 (1991), pages 807-824.

Answer 2

The answer is: Yes. Homer wrote the Illiad and Odyssey in the traditional method of his time. He used older sources which most likely imbellished the tale a bit, but the people involved did exist, and the main events do have some archeological evidence to back the story up. At one time it was believed that the Trojan War was mythological, but then the actual location of Troy was discovered. Because there are so many ancient manuscripts verifying the events, it's considered the second most historically verified and recorded event in ancient history, bested only by the resurrection of Jesus.

Answer 3

There is some historical basis for the Trojan war. Heinrich Schliemann used the ILIAD to find Troy. There are several levels to the city, and two had been besieged, as myths say. Heracles took Troy when king Laomedon cheated him. His sons and grandsons were at the second taking of troy when it was ruled by Laomedon's son Priam who was a baby in the first war and an old man in the 2nd. Much of the tale is exaggerated obviously, but some scholars say some of the heroes actually lived. Achilles was a real man, but I doubt that he was 13.5' tall and could toss a spear and run and catch it before it hit the ground.

Answer 4

This is history as the ancient people knew it. The actual stories of old told with flair and plenty of involvement by the Gods (which may or may not be true). All legends and myths have their basis in truth. Gilgamesh too! There was a war between Troy and Greece. Troy was destroyed. Perhaps Achilles and Odysseus were some of the real life heroes of that real life war. Their stories were told and retold and the speed, accuracy and luck of Achilles became invincibility. The intelligence, cunning and skill of Odysseus became legendary. The line between truth and embellishment becomes finer and finer with every retelling. Try having your dad tell you a story you've heard a million times, I bet it is a little better each time eh?

Answer 5

Iliad and Odyssey are based on historical clues. There was a war between Greeks and Trojans but Homerus uses some clues of his era. For exmple the weapons of his heros didn't exist at the time, when Greeks fought Trojans. Don't forget that Homerus was a poetrist and use also his imagination in order to provoke the public interest! This was his job.
Some studies showed that he didn't write anything. The listeners of what he told were those who written Iliad and Odyssey.

;)

Answer 6

Iliad was based on real facts (meaning that the war actually took place around 1200 BC) and Helen of Troy was just a decoy : the Greeks wanted the fertile land of Troy.... As far as Odyssey is concerned, its hero existed but the journey is mostly fictional...

Answer 7

While the individual characters may or may not be based on real people, there is good evidence for the existance -and destruction - of Troy.

Ironically enough, since you mention Gilgamesh, there's evidence that he's based on a real person too. A lot of myths have some basis in reality, with religion thrown in there as an explaination of unexplainable events.

Answer 8

Homer is usually said to be born in a number of places in Western Greece (close to location of Ancient Troy) however most scholars agree that the epic poems were written by a number of poets and the blind poet Homer most likely didn't exist or at least write the poems alone

Answer 9

It's mythological imagination but all myths came from smth. Because I can't believe there is Zeus and all the Gods of Olympus.

Answer 10

These 'stories' are part fact, part myth. They also contain symbolism to tell a deeper story, teach 'truths'.