Written in the 14th century by Italian writer Dante Alighieri, the epic poem Inferno chronicles Dante's fictional journey through Hell, guided by Virgil, an ancient Roman poet. Dante depicts Hell as nine concentric circles of suffering located within the Earth, circles he must pass through to come face-to-face with Satan if he has any hope of escape. Profoundly allegorical, Dante's Inferno has challenged and inspired generations of readers.