A legendary Greek epic poet believed to be the author of the Greek epics Iliad and Odyssey. In general, the ancient Greeks believed that Homer was a historical figure, but modern scholars doubt this, as there are no reliable translations of his biography surviving from the Classical era, and the epics cited about him represent the accumulation of many centuries of oral narrative and elaborate poetic expositions. Martin West believes that Homer is not the name of a historical poet, but rather a pseudonym.” The dates of Homer's life were the subject of controversy in the classical era and this controversy has continued until now. Herodotus said that Homer lived four hundred years before his time, which may mean that he lived in 850 BC. Approximately, while other ancient sources believe that he lived in a period close to the supposed Trojan War, Eratosthenes, who struggled to prove a scientific calendar of the events of the Trojan War, believes that it was between 1184 and 1194 BC.