About Homer

Looking for a paradise in the north Aegean Sea rich in history and full of traditions? Then Chios is the right place for you. Located in the northern Aegean Sea, the island is famous for the exclusive production of mastic for the medieval villages and for being home to Homer, the legendary author of the Iliad and Odyssey. Homer never mentioned his birthplace or his hometown preferring to be famous only for his work and creating a mystery around him and his origins. In the collection of the Archaeological Museum of Chios, you can admire a statuette representing a blind man recognized as the poet, a pitho’s fragment that depicts a dance scene that brings in mind the one that decorated the shield of Achilles described in detail in Iliad. The ancient inhabitants of Chios celebrated Homer as a local hero and regarded him as their compatriot. Certain coins, that nowadays belong to the collection of the Byzantine Museum of Chios, were issued to commemorate him and a statue of him was placed in the city of Chios. The rock of Daskolopetra, which translates to the rock of the teacher is located right above the beach of Vrontados. This site, also known as Homer’s stone, is associated with the tradition that here the poet was teaching his students. The latter and the future generation named Homeridai were rhapsodists who propagated the Homeric poems. Even though the poet remained silent and did not reveal anything about his personal life, in Iliad and Odyssey he reveals in a manner of speaking his hometown. The details of the morphology of the island and its geographical features and position could testify that Homer was an island native. The local traditions are extremely rich and provide detailed information about the poet’s life on the island. You can pass through Flori and get some rest here like the poet did or pay a visit to Volissos where according to old local traditions, Homer spent the rest of his life teaching the children of a local rich man. Take the road again and visit Pityos. It is believed that Homer has stopped by this small and picturesque village or according to other sources he was actually born here. The so-called Ariousios wine, the one Chios is famous for is the first red wine produced in Greece and is well-known for its excellent taste. The fact that locals used to offer it to travelers could be taken as proof that Homer was maybe a big fan of it. Strolling around the city of Chios, you can visit Homerion Cultural Center, to get informed about the proceedings of Homeric Academy that take place every year. If you are interested in contemporary sculpture, make a stop at the Xylas pedestrian street to admire three sculptures created in 2011 during the European Symposium of Engraving and Sculpture that pays homage to Homeric works.