Homer was likely born in the 8th century BC, but there is disagreement regarding his birthplace, with Smyrna, Athens, Ithaca, and other cities claiming to be the origin of the legendary poet. However, there are no reliable records about the life and work of the great epic poet, and trustworthy sources have not been preserved. The great epics Iliad and Odyssey are attributed to him, but it is often questioned whether these were actually written by a single person. In contrast, his influence and fame were undisputed even in ancient times. Homer's epics have played a significant role in literary history for writers of all eras, with the most notable among them being Shakespeare and James Joyce, who drew on the mythical material in Ulysses. Homer likely died on Ios.