The Greek epic traditionally attributed to Homer that tells of Achilles during the Trojan War is the Iliad. Its Greek title is connected with Ilion, another ancient name for Troy.
The poem consists of 24 books and is written in dactylic hexameter. Its narrative begins during the tenth year of the war, when Achilles withdraws from the fighting after his dispute with Agamemnon. The poem follows the consequences of that quarrel rather than presenting a complete history of the campaign.
Major episodes include the battles around Troy, the deaths of Patroclus and Hector, and Priam’s visit to Achilles to recover Hector’s body. The poem ends with Hector’s funeral, before the wooden horse and the city’s final capture.
The Iliad was transmitted orally before being written down in the form known today. Ancient and modern scholars have debated Homer’s identity and the poem’s composition, but the epic has remained one of the foundational works of Greek literature.