Facts & Figures about the Trojan War

Catalogues of Ships

	Greek Forces
	Trojan Forces

 

Other Information

		Funeral Games of Patroclus
		Trojan Horse

 

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Catalogues of Ships

Greek Forces

Greek Leaders Origin Ships Penelaus, Leitus, Archesilaus, Prothoenor, Clonius The Boeotians 50 Ascalaphus, Ialmenus Minyan Orchomenus & Aspledon 30 Schedius, Epistrophus, Iphitus Phocis 40 Lesser Ajax Locris 40 Elephenor, Acamas, Demophon Euboea 40 Menestheus Athens 50 Telamonian Ajax Salamis 12 Diomedes, Sthenelus, Euryalus Argos & Tiryns 80 Agamemnon Mycenae & Corinth 100 Menelaus Lacedaemon & Sparta 60 Nestor Pylus & Arene 90 Agapenor Arcadia: Orchomenus, Pheneus, Tegea 60 Amphimachus. Thalpius, Diores, Polyxeinus Buprasion, part of Elis 40 Meges Dulchium, Echinean Isles 40 Odysseus Ithaca, Samos 12 Thoas Aetolia: Calydon 40 Idomeneus, Meriones Crete 80 Tlepolemus Rhodes 9 Nireus Syme 3 Pheidippus, Antiphus Nisyrus, Cos 30 Achilles, Automedon, Neoptolemus Pelasgian Argos, Alus, Alope, Trachis, Phthia 50 Protesilaus, Podarces Phylace 40 Eumelus Pherae, Iolcus 11 Philoctetes, Medon Methone, Meliboea 7 Podalirius, Machaon, Perithous Tricce, Oechalia 30 Eurypylus (Εὐρύπυλος) Ormenion, Asterion 40 Polypoetes (Πολυποίτης), Leonteus (Λεοντεύς) Argissa 40 Guneus Cyphus 22 Prothous Magnete 40 Mygdalion Cyprus 1 Thersander Thebes 40

Agamemnon was the commander-in-chief of the Greek forces.

The Greek forces brought a total of 1227 ships to Troy.

Neoptolemus joined the Greek army after death of Achilles and Ajax.

 

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Trojan Forces

Trojan Leaders Origin Hector Troy Aeneas, Archelous, Acamas Dardania Pandarus Zeleia Adrastus, Amphius Adrasteia, Apaesus, Tereia Asius Percote, Practius, Sestos, Abydos, Arisbe Hippothous, Pylaeus Pelasgus Acamas, Peirous, Rhesus Thrace Euphemus Cicones Pyraechmes Paeonia Pylaemenes Cytorus, Cromna, Aegialus Odius, Epistrophus Alybe Chromis, Ennomus Mysia Phorcys, Ascanius Phrygia Mesthles, Antiphus Maeonia Nastes, Amphimachus Caria, Miletus Sarpedon, Glaucus Lycia

The Trojans and their allies were commanded by Hector, son of Priam and Hecuba. Aeneas was second-in-command.

The following forces joined the Trojans after Hector’s death.

 

Leaders Origin Penthesileia Amazons (Themiscyra) Memnon Ethiopia Eurypylus Mysia

 

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Funeral Games of Patroclus

Achilles conducted the funeral games in honour of his beloved friend Patroclus. This scene take place in Book 23 of Homer’s Iliad.

I have listed the sporting events, the competitors’ names and prizes won.

Games Competitors Prizes chariot race 1st: Diomedes 2nd: Antiochus 3rd: Menelaus 4th: Meriones 5th: Eumelus Woman skilled in crafts and a tripod (22 pints) Six years old mare, pregnant with a mule Kettle (4 pints) 2 talents of gold Two-handed pan (Eumelus received a cuirass of Asteropaeus instead, out of pity, because he had crashed in the race. The two-handed pan (unclaimed prize) was given to Nestor.) boxing 1st: Epeius 2nd: Euryalus Mule, 6 years old Two-handled mug wrestling The match was drawn with 1 bout each to Odysseus and Ajax. Prizes were shared. (How do they share a cauldron and woman? Cut them in halves?) Three-legged cauldron (worth 12 oxen) Slave woman (worth 4 oxen) foot-race 1st: Odysseus 2nd: Oilean Ajax 3rd: Antiochus Mixing bowl of chase silver (6 pints) Large oxen Half talent of gold (Antiochus received another half talent) armed combat Match was drawn between Diomedes and Ajax. Prizes were shared between them but Diomedes received the sword of Asteropaeus, for drawing first blood. Sword of Asteropaeus (for the 1st to draw blood) Armour, helmet shield and spear of Sarpedon And a free meal at Achilles’ hut! discus 1st: Polypoetes 2nd: Telamonian Ajax 3rd: Leonteus 4th: Epeius Lump of pig iron (there was only one prize for this contest) archery 1st: Meriones 2nd: Teucer 10 double-headed axe heads 10 single-headed axe heads javelin Achilles awarded Agamemnon the first prize without contest 2nd: Meriones Unused cauldron with floral pattern (worth an oxen) Long spear

 

 

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Trojan Horse

The Trojan (Wooden) Horse was a stratagem devised by Odysseus to enter Troy with a small armed force. The plan was to open Troy’s gates, so they could bring the main body of the Greek army into the city. Odysseus was the leader of this company. Below was the list of selected Greek warriors who hid inside the Horse’s belly. (See the Fall of Troy)

Odysseus Diomedes Lesser Ajax Menelaus Nestor Idomeneus Meriones Teucer Neoptolemus

Polypoetes Leonteus Philoctetes Acamas Demophon Euryalus Sthenelus Amphilochus Echion

Epeius Eurypylus Machaon Menestheus Podalirius Thoas Anticlus

 

Note that Odysseus was forced to kill Anticlus inside the Wooden Horse, because Helen tried to trick the Greeks into revealing to the Trojans that there were men hidden in the belly of the Wooden Horse. Had Anticlus called out, all the warriors inside of the horse would have died.

Heroic Age  |  Trojan War