“When the Homeric epics were produced is not known with certainty,” said Dr. Mark Pagel of the University of Reading. “Here we apply evolutionary-linguistic phylogenetic statistical methods to differences in Homeric, Modern Greek and ancient Hittite vocabulary items to estimate a date of approximately 710–760 BCE for these great works.”

[,,,]
Professor Pagel added, “Our analysis of The Iliad has not been informed by historical, archaeological or cultural information but by a statist...
Continue reading ...