Phaeacians, the Mysterious Civilization That Lived on Greece’s Island of Corfu

Ancient depiction of a Liburnian vessel from the Novilara tablets, 5th oregon sixth period BCE. Credit: Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY 3.0

In Homer’s Odyssey, written successful the seventh period BCE, a mysterious civilization called the Phaeacians helps Odysseus connected his travel location to Ithaca from Troy. What bash we cognize astir these enigmatic people? Many scholars hold that the grounds indicates that the Phaeacians were a civilization based connected Corfu (Kerkyra). Why tin we accidental that?

The Phaeacians successful the Odyssey

First, see what the legendary accusation successful the Odyssey tells america astir this nation. They lived connected an land called Scheria. Homer portrays these radical arsenic being affluent and comparatively powerful, and advanced. The communicative features a magnificent palace adorned with bronze walls and surrounded by exquisite gardens.

A confederation of thirteen kings rules implicit the Phaeacians, and appears to beryllium astatine bid with each other. The communicative besides presents them arsenic being hospitable and generous. In fact, the kings springiness Odysseus an impressive treasure to instrumentality backmost with him to Ithaca, and they nonstop him location successful 1 of their automatic ships.

According to Homer, the Phaeacians were susceptible merchants and were said to cognize the full world. Their ships were accelerated and could magically steer themselves.

Where was Scheria?

There is immoderate contention surrounding Scheria’s location. Nevertheless, the past sources supply america with capable grounds to found with immoderate assurance the onshore of the Phaeacians.

Scheria was the past spot that Odysseus visited earlier helium yet managed to get location to Ithaca. He arrived astatine Scheria aft sailing for implicit 2 weeks from Ogygia, usually identified arsenic Malta.

Therefore, we tin surely accidental that Scheria was connected the occidental broadside of Greece. The Phaeacians are described arsenic the “farthermost of men,” and Odysseus is referred to arsenic a alien there. Yet, the radical cognize who helium is.

This suggests that Scheria was extracurricular Odysseus’ kingdom, not among the Greek islands of the Ionian Sea, yet it was not excessively acold away. The information that 1 of the Phaeacian ships tin scope Ithaca successful a azygous nighttime reaffirms this conclusion.

Statue of Odysseus connected Ithaca island. Credit: wikimedia commons / Jean Housen CC BY 3.0

Corfu, the location of the Phaeacians

Given these facts, a tenable recognition of Scheria would beryllium the land of Corfu. This is acold capable from Malta to warrant the eighteen days of sailing, and it is besides adjacent capable to Ithaca to scope it successful a azygous night.

Yet astatine the aforesaid time, Corfu is acold capable distant from Ithaca and the different islands successful that country to beryllium described arsenic “the farthermost of men” successful the discourse of the islands successful the vicinity of Greece.

The past historiographer Thucydides of the 5th period BCE confirms this, writing:

“Also they sticked not sometimes to boast however overmuch they excelled successful shipping, and that Corcyra [Corfu] had been erstwhile inhabited by the Phaeacians who flourished successful glory of naval affairs, which was besides the origin wherefore they the alternatively provided themselves of a navy.”

According to this, Corfu (formerly called Corcyra) was the land of the Phaeacians. This is the earliest disposable contented astir Scheria’s identity, and was firmly held successful past times. As already seen, it is perfectly accordant with the route described successful the Odyssey.

The Phaeacians and the archaeology of Corfu

How does the archaeological grounds subordinate to Corfu’s individuality arsenic the onshore of the mysterious Phaeacians? The Odyssey, of course, is acceptable conscionable aft the Trojan War. Based connected the accepted date of the Trojan War, this would connote that the Phaeacians indispensable person been a Bronze Age civilization that inhabited Corfu.

However, the world is much analyzable than this. It is wide recognized that Homer’s Odyssey really reflects conditions of a aboriginal period, peculiarly the epoch of Greek colonization. This was betwixt the eighth and sixth centuries BCE.

This mounting ties successful particularly good with the Phaeacians. How so? Excavations connected Corfu person not revealed immoderate large naval civilization connected the land successful the Bronze Age. The affluent Phaeacians were not the prosperous Bronze Age Corfu civilization, arsenic nary specified civilization existed.

This does not mean that the Phaeacians were fictional. As noted, Homer’s Odyssey broadly reflects the humanities world of the epoch of colonization, betwixt the eighth and sixth centuries BCE. In the aboriginal portion of that period, Corfu was inhabited by the Liburnians.

The humanities Liburnians were so famed for being fantabulous sailors and traders. They were besides known for dominating the Adriatic Sea during the tallness of their power. It was successful the eighth oregon seventh period BCE, earlier the Corinthians invaded Corfu. Their ships were besides known for being speedy and agile, which aligns with Homer’s descriptions of the Phaeacians.

Therefore, fixed the disposable evidence, what tin we conclude? The mysterious Phaeacians tin apt beryllium identified arsenic the Liburnians, the past inhabitants of Corfu successful the Iron Age.