Illustration
This infographic illustrates the Epic Cycle (Ἐπικὸς Κύκλος), a lost collection of ancient Greek epic poems that once narrated the full arc of the Trojan War and its aftermath, from the origins of the conflict to the heroes' returns. Though only fragments survive today, the Cycle was once seen as a comprehensive mytho-historical narrative surrounding Troy.
Likely composed between the 7th and 6th centuries BCE, these poems, including the Cypria, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, and Nostoi, complement Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, which are the only epics from the Cycle preserved in full. The others survive through summaries by later writers like Proclus. The Epic Cycle reflects the oral traditions of Archaic Greece and shaped the mythological canon of later literature, drama, and art.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2025, July 24). The Epic Cycle. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20703/the-epic-cycle/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Epic Cycle." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified July 24, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20703/the-epic-cycle/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Epic Cycle." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 24 Jul 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20703/the-epic-cycle/. Web. 24 Jul 2025.
