When it comes to Greek warfare, few texts loom as large as Homer’s battle-epic, the Iliad. Homer and his epic poetry have been the subject of intense scholarly interest for centuries. While the number of ‘Homeric Questions’ has only increased over time, consensus regarding answers remains limited. Pertinent to the subject matter of this series of talks is the connection between the Homeric poems and Greek warfare. Do the epics reflect the conditions of a specific period of Greek history, and if so, which one? How plausible are Homer’s descriptions of combat, of weapons and armour, of chariots and ships?
Research into the historical (im)plausibility of Homer’s descriptions of war, violence, and society is important. But even more important is understanding the élite warrior ideal or ethos that informs every aspect of the epics. Archaeology has an important role to play here, since it can highlight patterns in the material record that show how the epics reflect the conditions of Homer’s own time. Archaeology also reveals that the warrior ethos can be traced further back in time, to periods for which texts are limited or entirely absent, such as the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age. Understanding this warrior ethos, beautifully articulated in Homer, cuts to the very heart of ancient Greek warfare.
More information on the webinar series main page.
Image credit: Julian Winchester
