4. Odysseus: Cunning King of Ithaca
Was Odysseus more than just a mythic wanderer? Some scholars suggest Homer’s hero was inspired by an actual Mycenaean ruler. Archaeological digs on Ithaca and neighboring islands have uncovered ruins dating to the era described in the epics. According to National Geographic, these findings fuel the idea that Odysseus may represent a real king whose adventures were immortalized and embellished over centuries.
