Just How Insanely Old 'The Odyssey' Really Is - Ancient Even to Ancient People

Following 2023's Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards, director Christopher Nolan is tackling one of society's foundational works of literature, The Odyssey. Foundational not just in importance, but truly one of the oldest books from the Western world.

A new trailer for the film released Tuesday.

Defy the Gods. Watch the New Trailer for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and experience the film in theaters 7 17 26. pic.twitter.com/hMe8aOB7Bh

— Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) May 5, 2026

Almost everyone is familiar with Homer's Greek epic to some degree, as it has been universally taught in schools for the better part of a century. It is common knowledge that the text is from a time well before ours, but just how ancient it is may surprise you.

To quickly put things into perspective, the present day is currently 2026 A.D., which marks that many years roughly since the birth of Jesus.

The fall of the Roman Empire happened in 476 A.D., 1,550 years ago.

Genghis Khan's rule began in 1206 A.D., 820 years ago.

Columbus first reached the Americas 534 years ago in 1492 A.D.

The Odyssey is believed to have been written in the 8th century B.C. That is around 800 years before the birth of Jesus and almost 3,000 years from today.

Historians say that the poems of Odysseus' journey back to Ithaca predate even 800 B.C. as it was orally passed down for multiple centuries before finally being recorded as written text. The Trojan War is estimated to have taken place between the 12th and 13th centuries B.C. The Odyssey could have been first constructed soon after, 1,200 years before even Jesus.

Apart from its companion, The Iliad, which takes place slightly before, The Odyssey is the single oldest book of the Western world. The two were likely created sequentially by Homer, who historians are unsure is a single person or a group of poets.

The book we all know today existed before a majority of known ancient history happened. The Odyssey may be the truest definition of a tale as old as time.

Christopher Nolan's film adaptation, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and so many more, hits theaters on July 17, 2026.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 8:03 PM.