Homer is the name that historically identifies the Greek poet attributed with writing two epic poems: the Iliad and the Odyssey.
His existence is shrouded in mystery; according to the Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC, Homer lived around the 8th century BC. The poet’s existence was much debated in the following centuries, and may well have been an imaginary reference of popular tradition, which thought of him as blind, a reference to a sacred connotation, often combined with wisdom and prophetic qualities.
