From the dawn of history come two epic tales, the Iliad and the Odyssey, that introduce us to the first great heroes in Western literature. These monumental epic poems, ascribed to Homer, were composed nearly three thousand years ago, but they continue to captivate modern audiences with imagery, insights and adventures that bring to life an ancient world at once familiar and foreign to us. What are the themes of these works, and what is the story behind their creation? What can we learn about the historical past from lyrical masterpieces that mix myth and legend with actual events? Find out what modern archaeology can tell us about the mighty Mycenaean civilisation, the Bronze Age power that Homer immortalised – looking backwards in time 500 years – with uncanny accuracy in his poems. A great conflict, a fabled journey, a wide-ranging warrior empire and a world-renowned poet: this is the story of the Homeric epics and the world they encapsulate.