The island home of Odysseus.
During the Trojan War, Odysseus commanded the Achaian (Achaean) soldiers from Ithaka (Ithaca), other Ionian Islands, and adjacent mainland settlements.
Latitude North, Longitude East
38.4048, 20.6790
The location of Homer's Ithaka has not been disputed until relatively recently. A modern book (Odysseus Unbound by Robert Bittlestone, 2005) insists that modern Ithaka was ancient Doulichion (Dulichium). The case is presented suggesting the island of Same (Samos) was once two islands, the western-most being ancient Ithaka. According to Mr. Bittlestone a narrow channel separated Same from Ithaka until geologic forces closed the channel masking the true identity of Ithaka.
In Odysseus Unbound Ithaka is said to be ancient Doulichion. However, I prefer to believe the modern island of Lefkada is in fact Homer's Doulichion. An argument put forth by J. V. Luce in his 1998 book Celebrating Homer's Landscapes; Troy and Ithaca Revisited makes a convincing case for Lefkada being Doulichion. He quotes passages from the Odyssey and Iliad indicating the size and location of Homer's Doulichion, which only modern Lefkada can satisfy. As examples—the 54 suitors from Doulichion wanting to marry Penelope outnumbered the suitors from any other place, thereby establishing Doulichion as a large island. Also, Doulichion was consistently grouped with the islands known as the Echinai (Echinae) and there is no mystery as to their location near the coast of Akarnania (Acarnania).
| References: Homer, Iliad book 2, lines 184, 632; book 3, line 201 |