The history of the epic poem is intrinsically tied to the history of religion. Some of the oldest epic poems recount religious traditions and serve as the oldest written texts in those religions. For instance, the epics written by the ancient Greek poet, Homer, are considered to be some of the most important in the polytheistic faith of the period. They were performed at religious festivals and helped people understand their religion. The writing of texts to convey religious messages has existed for several thousand years, and epic poetry has often been at the forefront of that.