THE EPIC THAT TAUGHT US THE MEANING OF HEROISM For nearly three thousand years, Homer's The Iliad has stood as the foundational epic of Western literature. Composed in the eighth century BCE, this monumental poem shaped how subsequent generations understood heroism, honour, mortality, and the devastating consequences of war. Its influence extends from ancient tragedy to modern fiction. The Iliad remains as morally complex and emotionally resonant today as when it was first composed.
