Changes

His name, in Greek, means "ransomed", so there is some thought he may have been taken hostage by the Greeks during war. Little is known about his life beyond such speculations, but his poems have been recognized as two of the greatest epics in Western culture for thousands of years.  There has been speculation that Homer did not actually exist, with the poems taking shape through many years of collaboration by multiple poets. Scholars point to seemingly dramatic changes of pace and wording from one section to another in the poems.  Nonetheless, a strong cultural tradition has grown up around the assumption of Homer's existence and the recognition of the essential impossibility of determining the truth.

His name, in Greek, means "ransomed", so there is some thought he may have been taken hostage by the Greeks during war. Little is known about his life beyond such speculations, but his poems have been recognized as two of the greatest epics in Western culture for thousands of years.  There has been speculation that Homer did not actually exist, with the poems taking shape through many years of collaboration by multiple poets. Scholars point to seemingly dramatic changes of pace and wording from one section to another in the poems.  Nonetheless, a strong cultural tradition has grown up around the assumption of Homer's existence and the recognition of the essential impossibility of determining the truth.

Seven cities claim him as their own. Studies of the language of his two great works, the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', point to the region between Ionia and Aeolia, both areas in the western [[Aegean Sea]]. He may have been born on Chios, a major island in that area and moved to Smyrna on the Asian coast, or gone in the other direction—there are hints of both dialects in his writing. There are also hints that other writers have added to the original text, especially the end of the ''Odyssey''; and some have even suggested he did not write the ''Odyssey'' at all.  

Seven cities claim him as their own. Studies of the language of his two great works, the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', point to the region between Ionia and Aeolia, both areas in the eastern [[Aegean Sea]]. He may have been born on Chios, a major island in that area and moved to Smyrna on the Asian coast, or gone in the other direction—there are hints of both dialects in his writing. There are also hints that other writers have added to the original text, especially the end of the ''Odyssey''; and some have even suggested he did not write the ''Odyssey'' at all.  

Of the two, it is thought the Iliad was written first. Apart from the too obvious and simplistic view that the events at Troy occurred before Odysseus’ travels; the Odyssey feels like it was written by an older man – at least to the experts. Controversy has occurred because they are both seemingly the works of an extremely mature person. This question has been argued since the 17th century and is ongoing.

Of the two, it is thought the Iliad was written first. Apart from the too obvious and simplistic view that the events at Troy occurred before Odysseus’ travels; the Odyssey feels like it was written by an older man – at least to the experts. Controversy has occurred because they are both seemingly the works of an extremely mature person. This question has been argued since the 17th century and is ongoing.