Will the Real Ithaca Please Stand Up?

Controversy rages over the site of Homer's Odyssey

Homer's hero might well smile over still causing controversy a few thousand years later. The Ionian island of Kefallonia (Cephalonia) and neighboring tiny Ithaca have long benefited from the identification of the islet with the historic Ithaca recounted in Homer's Odyssey.

But now, the town of Poros on Kefallonia is claiming that new archaeological discoveries prove that Porosis the "real" Ithaca, complete with the apparent ruins of Odysseus' tomb.

This has resulted in an inter-island squabble as Poros reaches out to pick up a few more tourists.

Will Ithaca have to retreat from its claims? Well, nothing is settled yet - a different new analysis featured in a book by amateur archaeologist Robert Bittlestone also claims to show the "real" location - in another part of Kefallonia entirely.

My suggestion? Hardcore Odyssey fans will just have to visit all three places. And if that means you're away from home a bit longer than originally expected, remember that Odysseus and Penelope would understand.

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