| Seven ancient Greek cities traditionally laid claim to | | | | geographer Skylax, the poet Alkaios of Messene, |
| the honour of being Homer's birthplace. The | | | | Pliny, and Pausanias, in his Phokika. The last named |
| tradition is supported by an epigram, according to | | | | also tells us that los was the birthplace of Homer's |
| which the seven cities in question were Smyrna, | | | | mother, Klymaine. The theory that Homer was |
| Chios, Kolophon, Ithake, Pylos, Argos, and Athens. | | | | buried on los stems from a rectangular marble |
| There is another version of it, however, according | | | | slab carved with an inscription, which was found |
| to which the seven cities were Smyrna, Rhodes, | | | | by a farmer at some unknown date at Plakotos |
| Kolophon, Salamis, los, Argos, and Athens. | | | | on the north coast of the island. The slab was |
| This second list thus includes the island of los. It is | | | | brought to the town of los, where it was found in |
| also significant that all the ancient coins of los | | | | 1846 by a certain Ross, in the lintel of the house |
| discovered so far have the head of Homer on | | | | of lakovos Spatharou. Ross also read the |
| one side. los claimed not only to be the birthplace | | | | inscription, which said., "MADE BY BULOUS". |
| of the great poet, however, but also the place | | | | Beneath the letters was an engraving of a |
| where he died and was buried. We shall see below | | | | cockerel, the bird commonly offered in sacrifice to |
| how much truth there may be in this. | | | | Asklepios in the hope of a cure for illness or of |
| With regard to Homer's birth, there is little | | | | escaping death. There can be no doubt that this |
| evidence apart from the epigram mentioned | | | | slab once stood above a grave, though it could |
| above to support the idea that Homer was born | | | | not have been asserted that this was the grave |
| on los. On the contrary, there is a great deal of | | | | of Homer, had not Ross been preceded in 1771 |
| evidence suggesting that the Homeric poems | | | | by the Dutch officer Van Krinen, who claimed |
| were born on the coast of Asia Minor, and this | | | | that he found the slab in situ (presumably in the |
| militates against the idea that los was Homer's | | | | region of Plakotos), and that in addition to the |
| birthplace. | | | | inscription "MADE BY BOULOS", he saw the |
| Matters are different, however, when it comes to | | | | complete phrase quoted in the 2nd c. AD text |
| the question of where the poet died and was | | | | mentioned above, which clearly refers to the |
| buried. There is a much evidence relating to the | | | | tomb of Homer. The Dutchman accordingly |
| place of his death that supports the view that | | | | celebrated his discovery of the tomb of Homer, |
| Homer died and was buried on los. A long text | | | | though prematurely: first because the letter-forms |
| that was originally attributed to Herodotus, but | | | | on the slab are those of Hellenistic or Roman |
| which was ultimately proved to have been written | | | | times, and not the Archaic period, and second |
| in the 2nd c. AD, states that Homer was travelling | | | | because there are three graves at the site, not |
| from Samos to Athens and was obliged to | | | | one, as the Dutch officer believed. |
| disembark on los, when his ship was driven off | | | | Pausanias is another who speaks of the tomb of |
| course by the wind. The text even notes that he | | | | Homer, in his Phokika: "The people of los show |
| put in not at the city, but on a beach. There | | | | the tomb of Homer on their island, next to that |
| Homer died by the waves a few days later, ill and | | | | of his mother Klymaine." The tomb is also |
| enfeebled by his misadventure. The people of los | | | | mentioned by Pliny. None of these authors, |
| buried him by the coast, and inscribed his tomb as | | | | however, tells us where it was. The final |
| follows: | | | | conclusion is as follows: Homer may not have |
| "HERE THE EARTH COVERS THE SACRED HEAD | | | | been born on los, but all the evidence points to his |
| OF MEN AND HEROES HOMER THE DIVINE | | | | having died and been buried on the island. With |
| POET" | | | | regard to the tomb, this cannot possibly be the |
| Another ancient author states that Homer died on | | | | heap of stones found on the hill at Plakotos, nor |
| a beach on los, though under different conditions. | | | | the ruins of the Hellenistic tower called the |
| According to this text, Homer encountered some | | | | Psaropyrgos. What is conceivable - indeed, the |
| fishermen, and asked them a question. They | | | | most likely eventuality - is that the tomb of the |
| replied in the form of a riddle, which he was | | | | immortal poet lies in the north part of the island, |
| unable to solve. Others who claim that Homer | | | | not far from the sea. |
| died on los are the historian Strabo, the | | | | |