The Vikings go back further than the 700’s.
That’s a nice story, but it’s based on nothing, whereas the Iliad is rooted in a real war that’s been substantiated by archaeology; the Odyssey on the other hand, was probably by a different author, maybe Samuel Butler’s woman.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/aoto/
http://archive.org/details/authoressofodyss00butlrich
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1490367/replies?c=104
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1659530/posts