What is the name of Odysseus's home island?

Odysseus's home island is Ithaca. In Homer's Odyssey, Ithaca is the western Greek island ruled by Odysseus and the place to which he struggles to return after the Trojan War.

Ithaca is more than a destination: it represents Odysseus's family, kingship, and identity. His wife, Penelope, remains there with their son Telemachus while suitors occupy the palace and pressure Penelope to remarry. Odysseus's longing for Ithaca drives the entire homeward journey, even when gods and monsters delay him.

After leaving Troy, Odysseus spends ten years facing dangers before reaching the Phaeacians. Their king, Alcinous, arranges for him to travel safely to Ithaca. Athena then disguises Odysseus as an old beggar so he can assess the situation before revealing himself and confronting the suitors.

Ithaca should not be confused with Ogygia, Calypso's island, where Odysseus is held for seven years, or Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. The modern Greek island of Ithaki is traditionally identified with Homer's Ithaca, although the exact geography of the poem has been debated.