In Greek mythology, Ithaca was the island kingdom ruled by Odysseus.
Odysseus was the king of Ithaca and the central hero of Homer’s Odyssey. After the Trojan War, he spent ten years trying to return home, facing dangers such as the Cyclops, the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis. His long absence allowed suitors to compete for the hand of his wife, Penelope.
Ithaca represents homecoming and loyal identity throughout the poem. Odysseus reaches the island in disguise and eventually reveals himself after proving his identity. The modern Greek island of Ithaca lies in the Ionian Sea, although its exact relationship to the poetic island remains a subject of scholarly discussion.