The epic poet Homer (9th or 8th century BCE) is assumed to be author of The Iliad and The Odyssey. It is not clear whether they were written by one person or a more than one storyteller but their influence on Western culture is unprecedented.

Jan Haywood is Associate Professor in Ancient History at the University of Leicester. He is the co-author of 'Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War: Dialogues on Tradition'. He strives to open the study of the classical world to wider audiences and is the co-founder of the Herodotus Helpline - a free online seminar series on Herodotus and his world.

Jake Jackson has written, edited and contributed to over 20 books on mythology and folklore. Related works include studies of Babylonian creation myths, the philosophy of time and William Blake's use of mythology in his visionary literature.