Epic Poetry Genre

Epic poetry is the oldest genre of literature. It's history stretches back 5,000 years. 

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Sumerian and Akkadian epic poem about the eponymous hero, Gilgamesh. Written in cuneiform on clay tablets around 2750 BC, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known epic poem.

Much of it was destroyed; what remains paints a vivid picture of summerian culture - it's cities, its heroes and its gods. 

In this epic, Gilgamesh, the king of the city of Uruk, goes on a quest to find immortality after he and Enkidu, his companion, perform deeds that anger the gods, resulting in Enkidu's death. Despite going through many trials, Gilgamesh loses his opportunity for physical immortality; however, he becomes immortal in the memory of Uruk and its walls. 

Due to its age and proliferation across the ancient Near East, the Epic of Gilgamesh has influenced epic poetry throughout time.