Omiros (Homer) and Daskalopetra

It is time for a little piece of history about Chios Island and…what is better than talk about one of the most important writers in the history of humanity?

We are talking about Homer or in the Greek name: Omiros

It is said that he belonged to Greece by birth but the exact location is doubtful. Some believe that he was born on Chios Island while others say he lived in Ionia.

Homer is considered the greatest poet of ancient times. He is the composer of Iliad and the Odyssey which are considered the best poems of world literature. The Iliad narrates the happenings in the city of Ilion during the Trojan War. Ilion was a city within the state of Troy. The Odyssey is based on a Greek character Odysseus. This epic poem focuses on the ten year long journey Odysseus made from Troy to Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. His importance to the Greek culture can hardly be underestimated.

As we said before it is believed that may he was born in Chios! According to a hymn written in honour of the god Apollo, he was a blind man from the island of Chios.
Indeed, on the island of Chios is the Homer Stone, also called Daskalopetra. It is a historical place in the area of Vrontados. According to tradition, this was the stone where Homer was sitting on, teaching, thinking, and narrating his poems. Because he was blind it is thought that he narrated the poems to his students.

The name of this place - daskalopetra - actually means the stone of teacher in Greek, referring to the great poet.
So now when we go to that stone we can imagine this incredible man narrating the poems that will change literature for good and you feel more than ever how Greece and also Chios Island is full of history and culture!

For more information visit our section Culture in ChiosRadio.gr our narration about the Iliad. And also the biography of Homer in our section of “famous people of chios”.