The film "Odyssey", directed by Christopher Nolan, has brought the debate about Homer's origins and the place where the epic stories that marked Western literature were born back into the spotlight. Media attention has now focused on Izmir, ancient Smyrna, on the Turkish coast, which many historians and archaeologists consider as one of the possible locations of origin of the poet.
Hollywood's success with the film has reignited international interest in the question, but has also exposed the limitations of current knowledge about Homer. There are no direct physical proofs that confirm the poet's existence or the exact location where he composed his epic poems.
In an exclusive interview granted as part of this renewed attention, archaeologist Aylin Ümit Erdem spoke about the existing evidence and the absence of concrete material evidence. The specialist addressed the difficulties of investigating such an ancient period and the scarcity of archaeological remains that can confirm or refute the existing theories about the exact location of Homer.
