Who was the king of Ithaca in the Iliad?

The king of Ithaca in the Iliad is Odysseus, the legendary Greek hero also known by his Roman name, Ulysses.

Odysseus is the son of Laertes and Anticlea, the husband of Penelope, and the father of Telemachus. In the Iliad, he is one of the leading commanders of the Achaean army fighting at Troy. Homer portrays him as an exceptionally persuasive speaker, strategist, and negotiator, rather than simply as the strongest warrior on the battlefield.

His most famous exploits come in the Odyssey, which follows his difficult ten-year journey home after the Trojan War. There he faces the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the enchantress Circe before finally returning to Ithaca. His household has been threatened by suitors who assume he will never come back.

A common mix-up is choosing Agamemnon, Menelaus, or Diomedes. All three are major Greek figures in the Iliad: Agamemnon commands the expedition, Menelaus is Helen’s husband, and Diomedes is a powerful warrior. None, however, is king of Ithaca. Odysseus’ island kingdom is central to his identity in both Homeric epics.