What an awesome post; I love that you've just taken on the idea of teaching yourself all of this history. I taught high school English and History for years, and the ancient history I always found so fascinating...I don't think most people give the ancients enough credit for their ingenuity. In ancient Greece and Rome, when things couldn't be explained (like the geothermal springs), they created myths to help understand all the unexplained natural phenomenon surrounding them. Pretty cool that you're reading Homer too. Again thank you, I love this! Cheers:)