Who wrote the epic poem The Odyssey?

Homer is traditionally credited with writing the ancient Greek epic poem The Odyssey.

The Odyssey follows Odysseus after the Trojan War as he struggles to return to Ithaca. Its narrative includes encounters with the Cyclops, Circe, the Sirens, and other dangers, while Odysseus’s wife Penelope and son Telemachus face pressure from suitors at home.

The poem is usually dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE, although the exact date and circumstances of composition are uncertain. Ancient Greek epic poetry was shaped by oral performance, and scholars continue to debate how the poems were composed and transmitted.

Homer is also traditionally associated with The Iliad, which focuses on events connected with the Trojan War. The Odyssey is not the same poem: its central theme is the difficult homecoming, or nostos, of Odysseus. Later writers, including the Roman poet Virgil, drew on Homeric epic traditions.