Homer (c. 9th-8th century BCE) was an ancient Greek blind poet traditionally credited with authoring the epic poems "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey". Collectively known as the "Homeric Epics", these works primarily recount the Trojan War and tales of maritime adventure; they were synthesized from orally transmitted folk songs and composed in dactylic hexameter.The historical reality of Homer is a subject of debate; some scholars suggest the name may have been a collective designation for itinerant bards, with the epics taking shape over centuries of oral tradition. Most accounts place his birthplace on the island of Chios or in Smyrna in the eastern Aegean, describing him as a blind, wandering musician who played the lyre. The etymology of the name "Homer" remains inconclusive, though it may be linked to the concept of "assembling" or "fitting together". He is generally believed to have lived between the 9th and 8th centuries BCE, and his epics have profoundly influenced Western religious, cultural, and ethical thought.