Linguistic evidence supports date for Homeric epics

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Computational Phylogenetics
• Classical Studies

Background:

• The precise dating of the Homeric epics, foundational works of Western literature, remains uncertain.
• Traditional methods rely on historical and archaeological evidence, which offer estimations but lack definitive proof.

Observation:

• This study employed evolutionary-linguistic phylogenetic statistical methods to analyze vocabulary differences.
• A comparative analysis was conducted on shared vocabulary items between Homeric Greek, Modern Greek, and ancient Hittite.
• The methodology involved identifying cognates (words with a shared origin) and non-cognates across language pairs.

Findings:

• Phylogenetic statistical analysis estimated the creation date of the Homeric epics to be approximately 710-760 BCE.
• A likelihood-based Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure was utilized to determine the divergence times between languages.
• The estimated date aligns closely with scholarly consensus derived from historical and archaeological data.

Implications:

• Provides a data-driven, quantitative estimate for the dating of the Homeric epics.
• Demonstrates the utility of evolutionary-linguistic methods in historical linguistics and literary studies.
• Offers a new perspective on the chronology of ancient Greek literature and its relationship to other ancient languages.