One of the two great
epic poems which were written by
Homer and compose most of what we have of
the Trojan Cycle (the other one being the
Odyssey). It was written circa the 8th century BC, and was passed orally all through
Ionia and
Aeolis and later mainland
Greece (Cf. Homeric Greek).
The Iliad centers around a certain scene in the last year of the war, namely the wrath of Achilles, and the resulting consequences (with many sidetracks and secondary plots).
The poem was finally put to writing in 6th century BC Athens.
The Iliad became one of the milestones and bases of Greek literature and culture in particular, and western literature and culture in general.