Who is Aeneas and how does he connect Homer (Iliad) to Roman Mythology

The Story of Aeneas has been the basis of Roman Literature. He is portrayed and often referred to as the first Hero of Rome. But who is Aeneas?
Aeneas was a nobleman and a demigod as well (Demigod is a mythological being who is partly divine and partly human). His father was Anchises, a member of the Trojan Royal Family. His mother was Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and pleasure, who is also known as Venus in roman Literature. Aphrodite was intrigued by Anchises when she saw him on the hills of Mount Ida that she seduced him and decided to bear his son, Aeneas. Aeneas was raise by nymphs until he was sent to live with his father at a young age (5 in roman mythology, 10 in Greek Mythology).
Anchises was sworn to secrecy about his son being a demi god however he decided to break this promise, and after doing so, Anchises was struck by lightning and left blind as a punishment.
As the Greeks invaded Troy, Aeneas is seen as being hesitant and not joining the war immediately. As Roman mythology states, Aeneas joined the war after the Greeks stole his cattle. Another reason why Aeneas did not join the war immediately was a personal conflict he had with King Priam of Troy. Aeneas did not receive the appropriate glory for being a member of the royal family, and had a dispute with Priam about this. Aeneas later on married Creusa, who was the daughter of Priam, where they had a son named Ascanius.
As the Trojan War progressed, Aeneas claimed multiple victories, and became one of the Trojan army’s leaders. He was said to be the greatest warrior after Hector. The Iliad mentions him as an upright and moral man, since he respected the gods and had great obedience to their commands. In return the Gods helped Aeneas throughout the war, including Apollo and Poseidon. This is considered a great achievement, given that Poseidon was a friend and Ally to the Greeks. Poseidon was also the god who told King Priam that Aeneas would be the next ruler of Trojans.
Towards the end of the war, Aeneas was allowed to depart by the Greeks, with a band of followers. Although different versions of the story mention him fighting bravely to the end and escaping, The Aeneid (translated to Greek 1982; also happens to be the one I studied) says he was showed mercy by the Greeks because of their respect for him.
After escaping Troy Aeneas fled back to Mount Ida where they began building ships. On his way to Italy Aeneas encountered lots of dangers, including powerful storms and fierce monsters, Aeneas and his Trojan followers landed on the coast of North Africa (Egypt). This is where Aeneas’s story is linked to Roman Mythology. In Carthage Aeneas meets Dido, Queen and founder of Carthage where they fall in love soon after his arrival. Aeneas was settled in and cozy in Carthage until Mercury (messenger) visited him and reminded him of his destiny which lay in Italy. As he was leaving he witnessed Dido’s double suicide which was caused because she was lovesick.
After arriving in Sicily, Aeneas is taken to the Underworld by Sibyl, and oracle. There he sees the ghost of Dido, who ignores him and walks away. He also sees the ghost of his father (who was killed on the voyage to Carthage. His father told him that he would find the greatest Empire the world has ever seen. And so he did…
Rome was a rising power in the Mediterranean world. As the city grew larger and more powerful, it faced a dilemma. The Romans shared many myths and legends with the Greeks and had considerable respect for Greece's ancient culture. At the same time, however, the Romans did not want to be overshadowed by Greek culture and tradition. They wanted their own connections to the ancient world of gods and heroes
Roman writers found a perfect link to the legendary past with Aeneas, who was supposed to have come to Italy around the time of the founding of Rome. Furthermore, because Aeneas was a Trojan, he could give the Romans what they wanted—an ancestry that was connected to the ancient heroes yet separate from the Greeks.
Over the centuries, a number of Roman myths developed about Aeneas. As mentioned before according to Roman tradition, Aeneas fought with great courage in Troy until messages from Aphrodite and Hector convinced him to leave the city. Carrying his father on his back and holding his son by the hand, Aeneas led his supporters out of burning Troy. During the confusion, Aeneas's wife, Creusa, became separated from the fleeing Trojans. Aeneas returned to search for Creusa but could not find her.
This is a clear example of the link between Homer’s Iliad and Roman Mythology. We see Romans using aspect of the Greeks to create their own history and power to show pride and create the perfect society with the perfect History.