How long was Odysseus away from Ithaca?

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Sixteenth-century engraving by Hieronymus Wierix depicting Homer, shown as an older man with a beard and laurel wreath, wearing a draped garment. — Odyssey: A Reader’s Guide to Homer’s Epic Engraving of Homer by Hieronymus Wierix, 16th century; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Odysseus was absent from his kingdom of Ithaca for a total of 20 years.1

His long absence is divided into two distinct decades:
* The Trojan War: Odysseus spent the first 10 years fighting in the Trojan War, a legendary conflict against the city of Troy.12
* The Journey Home: His return voyage, which is the primary subject of Homer’s Odyssey, lasted another 10 years due to numerous dangers, divine interference, and periods of captivity.1

By the time he finally returned to Ithaca, his son Telemachus and his wife Penelope had been waiting for his return for nearly two decades.3