The Greek poet Homer is credited with composing the Iliad, although the authorship of the epic remains uncertain. It is believed that Homer probably lived in the eighth century B.C. While scholars have made educated guesses about aspects of his life, nothing is known for certain. His birthplace may have been an island on the eastern edge of the Aegean Sea, or perhaps a city on the nearby coast. The population of both areas probably spoke of legends of the Trojan War-the Subject of the Iliad. It is believed that the author of the Iliad composed the work before writing the Odyssey (also covered in Literature and Its Times), another narrative attributed to Homer, that describes events following the war.
The legend of the Trojan War. The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, in the ninth year of the legendary ten-year conflict, which ended in either 1184 or 1250 B.C., depending on the source consulted. The epic itself offers no explanations for why the war began or how it ends; Homer assumes that this information is familiar to his audience.
The legend of the Trojan War appears in many different Greek stories.
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