Searching for the Palace of Odysseus

A fascinating unravelling of an ancient mystery, with plenty of photographs, illustrations and detailed textual evidence from original sources are found in the pages of Searching for the Palace of Odysseus.

Homer’s Odyssey describes the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus (known to the Romans as Ulysses) returning home after the Trojan War.

Odysseus was king of a group of islands consisting of Ithaca, Cephallonia, and Leukas. He had a longer journey to return home than most of the Greek heroes, as his kingdom was on the far side of Greece.

Speculation about the location of his palace has never been settled until now. The author and his colleague Professor Ioannis Liritzis have identified the site and confirmed it with a key dating result, as well as much other evidence.

The Palace of Odysseus sat on top of a hill on Ithaca, from where it was possible to see three seas, as described by Homer. An ancient stone stairway leading up to the site has been dated to the time of Odysseus.

Another surprising discovery is evidence that the poet Homer was indeed blind, as tradition claimed. Both Homer and Aristotle visited the site of the Palace, which was a tourist attraction until at least the fourth century BC.

About the Author

Robert Temple is known for his work in the history of science. He was author of The Genius of China, which summarizes 3000 years of scientific discoveries and technological inventions. His activities in 17th century English history have included several entries for the Dictionary of National Biography and other biographical dictionary entries. Professor Temple is Chairman of The Ancient Egypt Foundation, which has been subsidising the seven year project for the cleaning and restoration of the astronomical ceiling of the Temple of Khnum at Esna, south of Luxor on the Nile.