What Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ Tells Us About the Economics of the Bronze Age

As one of the most popular works of literature of all time, as well as the subject of the current most popular movie in the world, the Odyssey has long been analyzed from a political perspective. But the classic adventure tale also offers important insights into the economics of ancient Greece—and of today. What does the Greek etymology of the word “economy” reveal about its meaning? How does Greek theology inform ideas of economic risk? Why has Odysseus’s relationship to the sirens been used as metaphor to explain the work of central banks? Those are just a few of the questions that came up in my recent conversation with FP economics columnist Adam Tooze on the podcast we co-host, Ones and Tooze. What follows is an excerpt, edited for length and clarity. For the full conversation, look fo