Digging Homer: The Mycenaean Palace at Iklaina & Birth of Greek Epic Poetry

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 8 pm Eastern via Zoom

Digging Homer: The Mycenaean Palace at Iklaina & Birth of Greek Epic Poetry

Michael Cosmopoulos

For thousands of years Homer’s Iliad has remained the classic tale of love, honor, and war. Exciting archaeological discoveries in the past 150 years have unearthed the great palaces of the Homeric heroes and revived the fascinating society of the Mycenaeans. In antiquity itself, and in our memory of antiquity, the great palaces at Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, and Troy stand at the crossroads between myths and historical reality.

The world of the Mycenaeans still holds many surprises. Recent excavations at the site of Iklaina have brought to light one of the capitals of the Mycenaean state of Pylos. Massive Cyclopean structures, monumental buildings decorated with beautiful wall paintings, advanced urban infrastructure, and the earliest known records of state bureaucracy challenge current knowledge about the origins and operation of Mycenaean states.

These findings allow us a glimpse into previously unknown aspects of the Homeric epics. In this illustrated lecture Professor Cosmopoulos will present the exciting archaeological discoveries at Iklaina and discuss their significance for the historical foundation of Homer’s epics.

Michael Cosmopoulos, Professor in Greek Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis

For questions or to request accommodations contact:

Donald O Kane