Exposition (Books 1–4)
(1) The story begins with an invocation to the Muse. The events begin in medias res towards the end of the Trojan War, fought between the Trojans and the besieging Achaeans. … See more

Depiction of infantry combat
Despite Mycenae and Troy being maritime powers, the Iliad features no sea battles. The Trojan shipwright (of the ship that transported Helen to Troy), Phereclus, instead fights afoot, as an infantryman. The battle dress … See more

George Chapman published his translation of the Iliad, in installments, beginning in 1598, published in "fourteeners", a long … See more

The gods of Greek religion
Ancient Greek religion had no founder, and was not the creation of an inspired teacher. Rather, … See more

Fate
Fate (κήρ, kēr, 'fated death') propels most of the events of the Iliad. Once set, gods and men abide it, … See more

The poem dates to the archaic period of Classical antiquity. Scholarly consensus mostly places it in the late 8th century BC, although some favour a 7th-century date. In any case, the terminus ante quem for the dating of the Iliad is 630 BC, as evidenced by … See more

The Iliad was a standard work of great importance already in Classical Greece and remained so throughout the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods. … See more