Robert Bittlestone was educated in Classics and in 2002 he started the search for his Ithaca, which resulted in 'Odysseus Unbound', a book about his theory published in 2005.

Robert Bittlestone

Kefalonian peninsula Paliki

Robert Bittlestone

Lowest point around the hill: 180 m

Ithaca

Mainland

Samos

Zacynthos

Doulichion

Robert's theory revolves around Paliki, the western peninsula of Kefallinia, not having been attached to Kefallina in Odysseus' days, consequently making Paliki the most western island.

He followed Strabo about Lefkada being part of the mainland ánd, as mentioned previously, took Strabo's mentions of a canal on Kefallinia to develop his theory. He interpreted low-lying simply as a geographical feature, for the Paliki peninsula has no mountains, only hills.

Robert Bittlestone died in 2015.

So, Paliki was his Ithaca, the rest of Kefallinia his Samos, Zacynthos his Zakinthos and Ithaki became his Doulichion.

The canal is now a valley with its lowest pass at 180m elevation. In his book he explains how the valley was formed due to tectonic forces. He and his team did elaborate research to prove this theory, though till this day the results remain inconclusive.