The essence of a homeric question consists in a problem of authorship and origin of two works: "Illiad" and "Odyssey". The homeric question arose because the authentic information about Homer is absent even in antique time. Seven ancient cities argued for the right to be called its homeland: Smyrna, Colophon, Rhodes, Athens, Argos, Salamin and Chios.
Who such Homer?
Studying creativity and Homer's identity began in ancient times. It was even considered a certain generalized character. Some interpreters saw in it one person, others – some community of singers. Generally, all in Homer's biography still remain disputable. Antique researchers believed that Homer was given birth from god and was personally familiar with mythical characters of the eposes. At Greeks of Asia Minor by the word "gomer" designated the blind man. In ancient art of Homer represented the blind old man.
Many works were attributed to Homer's authorship, but only "Illiad", "Odyssey" and Margate are as a result recognized, the last did not reach our time.
Today the homeric epos is the only source which reached our days in writing. Disputes around Homer's identity do not cease already more than two centuries. Today most of researchers after all came to the general opinion, and the creative unity of the homeric epos was recognized. Much more difficult the situation is with determination of content of his works, their historical reliability.
Current state of "homeric question"
The question of origin of homeric poems remains open to this day. In the materials "Illiad" and "Odissei" there are stratifications of different time that says that the oral legend was transferred continuously. It is the history of the Greek heroic legends which were handed down throughout many centuries. However all events in "Odyssey" and "Illiad" are mixed, in them completely there is no chronology. At plots of these works there is also a number of discrepancies and contradictions. Modern analysts are faced by a difficult task: it is required to reconstruct the public relations on the basis of data which contain in poems. Homer tells about the heroes living at the time of the Mycenaean era of whom he has no clear idea any more. However remains a riddle as the author could describe realities of the Mycenaean world which became known only now, thanks to archeological excavations. Homer draws barbaric, "the dark world" which does not match the culture of the Mycenaean palaces at all. The epos by Homer are legends of various times which were imagination of the author. Some researchers of works of this antique poet incline to opinion that Homer described events of the recent past which were still alive in memory of the senior generation in the works. It turns out that Homer consciously avoids the description modern to it living conditions and life. It is considered to be that events of the epos cover the wide period – the 11-8th centuries BC.