Achaean Leaders Explained

In Greek mythology, the Achaean Leaders were those who led the expedition to Troy to retrieve the abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Most of the leaders were bound by the Oath of Tyndareus who made the Suitors of Helen swear that they would defend and protect the chosen husband of Helen against any wrong done against him in regard to his marriage.

List of leaders

Number of ships

Ethnicity! rowspan="2"

Leader	Suitor of Helen	Sources
Homer		Ships	Euripides	Ships	Apollodorus	Ships	Dictys	Ships	Hyginus	Ships	Malalas^[1]	Ships	Dares	Ships
Boeotians	Thersander		✓	50 of 120men each			10 leaders	40	✓	50
	Peneleos	✓	✓						✓	50	✓	12	✓	50
	Leitus	✓	✓		✓	50			✓		✓	12	✓
	Clonius		✓						✓		✓	9	✓
	Arcesilaus		✓						✓				✓		✓	50
	Prothoenor								✓				✓		✓
Minyans (Orchomenians)	Ascalaphus	✓	✓	30			4 leaders	30	✓	30	✓	30	✓	30	✓	30
	Ialmenus	✓	✓						✓		✓	30	✓		✓
Phocēans	Epistrophus	✓	✓	40	^[2]		4 leaders	40	✓	50	✓	10	✓	40	✓	40
	Schedius	✓	✓										✓		✓
Locrians	Ajax the Lesser	✓	✓	40	✓	(50?)	✓	40	✓	40	✓	20	✓	9	✓	37
Abantes of Euboea	Elephenor	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	30	✓	60
Athenians	Menestheus	✓	✓	50			✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50
	Acamas		✓
	Demophon		✓		✓^[3]	60
Salamineans	Ajax	✓	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	11?
	Teucer	✓									✓	12			✓
Argives	Diomedes	✓	✓	80	✓	50	✓	80	✓	80	✓	30	✓	80	✓	80
	Sthenelus	✓	✓		✓						✓	25			✓
	Euryalus		✓		✓						✓	15			✓
	Amphilochus	✓
	Phoenix										✓	50
	Cycnus										✓	12
Mycenaeans	Agamemnon		✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100 + 30^[4]	✓	100
	Adrastus				✓
	Amarynceus										✓	19
	Nereus												✓	3
Lacedaemonians	Menelaus	✓	✓	60	✓	?	✓	60	✓	60	✓	60			✓	60
No name given.	Nestor		✓	90	✓	50	✓	40	✓	90	✓	90	✓	90	✓	80
	Antilochus	✓									✓	20
Arcadians	Agapenor	✓	✓	60			✓	7	✓	60*	✓	60			✓	60
Epeans of Elis	Amphimachus	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	10	✓	40	✓	40
	Thalpius	✓	✓						✓				✓		✓
	Diōres		✓						✓				✓		✓
	Polyxenus	✓	✓						✓		✓	40			✓
	Eurytus				✓	?
Taphians
	Meges	✓	✓	40	✓	?	✓	40	✓	40	✓	60
Men of Dulichium													✓	40
Cephallenians	Odysseus	✓	✓	12	✓	?	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12
Aetolians	Thoas	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	15	✓	40	✓	40
Cretans	Idomeneus	✓	✓	80			✓	40	✓	80			✓	80	✓	80
	Meriones	✓	✓		✓	?			✓		✓	40	✓		✓
Rhodians	Tlepolemus	✓	✓	9			✓	9	✓	9	✓	9	✓	9	✓	9
Symians	Nireus	✓	✓	3	✓	?	✓	3	✓	3	✓	16			✓	53
No name given	Phidippus	✓	✓	30			✓	30	✓	30			✓	68	✓	30
	Antiphus		✓				✓		✓		✓	20	✓		✓
	Sorthes												✓
Pelasgians, Myrmidons, Hellenes, Achaeans	Achilles		✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50
	Patroclus	✓									✓	10	✓		✓
	Neoptolemus
No name given (Scyrians)	Automedon										✓	10
No name given	Protesilaus	✓	✓	40	✓	?	✓	40	✓	40	(✓)		✓	40	✓	40
	Podarces	✓	✓						✓		✓	10	✓		✓
No name given	Eumelus	✓	✓	11	✓	?	✓	11	✓	11	✓	8	✓	11	✓	10
Mothone	Philoctetes	✓	✓	7^[5]			✓	7	✓	7	✓	7	✓	22	✓	7
	Medon		✓
No name given	Machaon	✓	✓	30					✓	30	✓	20			✓	32
	Podalirius	✓	✓				✓	30	✓		✓	9			✓
Asterion^[6]	Eurypylus	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40
Lapiths	Leonteus	✓	✓	40					✓	40	✓	19	✓	30	✓	40
	Polypoetes	✓	✓				✓	30	✓		✓	20	✓		✓
Enienes,	Guneus		✓	22	✓	12	✓	22	✓	22					✓	21
Peraebi	Nereus												✓	22
Magnetes	Prothous	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40
	Magnitor												✓
No name given	Palamedes				✓	?							✓	12
Tricca	Calchas								✓	20			✓	40
No name given	Mopsus								✓	20
No name given	Epeius								✓	30
No name given	Agenor												✓	60
	Teuthides												✓
Amphigenia	Amphigenias												✓	43
TOTAL	63	39	49	1,186	21	434?

Ethnicity

Ethnic group	Contingent		Leader	Parentage	Abode
Boeotians	• Anthedon• Arne • Aulis • Copae • Coroneia • Eilesium • Eleon • Erythrae • Eteonus • Eutresis • Glisas • Graia • Haliartus • Harma • Hyle	• Hyria• Medeon • Mycalessus • Midea • Nisa • Ocalea • Onchestos • Peteon • Plataea • Schoenus • Scolus • Thebes • Thespeia • Thisbe	Thersander	son of Polynices and Argea	Thebes
			Peneleos	son of Hippalcimus and Asterope	Boeotia
			Leitus	son Alector^[7] and Polybule^[8] or of Lacritus and Cleobule^[9] or of Gaia (Earth)^[10]	Boeotia
			Clonius	son of Alegenor or of Alector and Acteis^[11] or of Lacritus and Cleobule	Boeotia
			Arcesilaus	son of Areilycus^[12] ^[13] and Theobule or of Alector and Cleobule^[14]	Boeotia
			Prothoenor	son of Areilycus and Theobule or of Alector and Arteis^[15]	Boeotia
Minyans	• Aspledon	• Orchomenus	Ascalaphus	sons of Ares and Astyoche	Orchomenus
			Ialmenus
Phocēans	• Anemorea• river Cephissus • Crisa • Cyparissus • Daulis	• Hyampolis• Lilaea • Panopeus • Pytho	Epistrophus	sons of Iphitus and Hippolyte or Thrasybule	Crissa
			Schedius
Locrians	• Augeae• Bessa • Calliarus • Kynos	• Opoüs• Scarphe • Tarphe • Thronium	Ajax the Lesser	son of Oileus and Eriopis or Rhene	Opuntian Locris
Abantes of Euboea	• Carystus• Cerinthus • Chalcis • Eretria	• Dium • Histiaea • Styra	Elephenor	son of Chalcodon by either Imenarete, Melanippe or Alcyone.	Euboea
Athenians	• Athens		Menestheus	son of Peteos and either Polyxene or Mnesimache^[16]	Athens
			Acamas	son of Theseus and Phaedra
			Demophon	son of Theseus and Phaedra^[17] ^[18] or Iope^[19]
Salamineans	• Salamis		Ajax	son of Telamon and Periboea	Salamis
			Teucer	son of Telamon and Hesione
Argives	• Aegina• Argos • Asine • Eїonae • Epidaurus	• Hermione • Mases • Tiryns • Troezen	Diomedes	son of Tydeus and Deipyle	Argos
			Sthenelus	son of Capaneus^[20] ^[21] and Evadne^[22]
			Euryalus	son of Mecisteus and Astyoche^[23]
			Amphilochus	son of Amphiaraus and Eriphyle
Mycenaeans	• Aegium• Araethyrea • Cleonae • Corinth • Gonoessa • Helice	• Hyperesia • Mycenae • Orneae • Pellene • Sicyon	Agamemnon	sons of Atreus and Aerope or Pleisthenes and Cleolla^[24]	Mycenae
Lacedaemonians	• Amyclae• Augeae • Bryseae • Helos • Laas	• Messe • Oetylus • Pharis • Sparta	Menelaus		Sparta
No name given.	• Aipy• Amphigenea • Arēne • Cyparisseis • Dorium,	• Helos • Pteleum • Pylos • Thryum	Nestor	son of Neleus and Chloris	Pylos
			Antilochus	son of Nestor either by Anaxibia^[25] or Eurydice.^[26]
Arcadians	• Cyllene• Enispe • Mantinea • Orchomenus • Parrhasia	• Pheneus • Rhipae • Stratie • Stymphalos • Tegea	Agapenor	son of Ancaeus and Iotis	Arcadia
Epeans of Elis	• Alesium• Buprasium • Hyrmine	• Myrsinus • Olene	Amphimachus	son of Cteatus and Theronice^[27]	Elis
			Thalpius	son of Eurytus and Theraephone
			Diōres	son of Amarynceus and Mnesimache^[28]
			Polyxenus	son of Agasthenes and Peloris
Men of Dulichium		• Echinean Islands	Meges	son of Phyleus either by Eustyoche,^[29] ^[30] Ctimene, Timandra,^[31] Hagnete or Ctesimache^[32]	Dulichium
Cephallenians	• Aegilips• Crocylea • Ithaca	• Neritum • Same • Zacynthus	Odysseus	son of Laertes or Sisyphus and Anticleia	Ithaca
Aetolians	• Calydon• Chalcis • Olenus	• Pleuron • Pylene	Thoas	son of Andraemon and Gorge	Calydon
Cretans	• Knossos• Gortys • Lycastus • Lyktos	• Miletus • Phaistos • Rhytium	Idomeneus	son of Deucalion and Cleopatra^[33] ^[34]	Crete
			Meriones	son of Molus and Melphis or Euippe^[35]
Rhodians		• Lindus	Tlepolemus	son of Heracles and Astyoche^[36] ^[37] or Astydameia^[38] ^[39]	Rhodes
Symians	• Symi		Nireus	son of Charopus and Aglaea^[40] ^[41] ^[42] ^[43]	Syme
No name given.	• Calydnian Islands• Casus, • Cos	• Crapathus • Nisyrus	Phidippus	sons of Thessalus	Cos
			Antiphus		Cos
Pelasgians,Myrmidons, Hellenes, Achaeans	• Alope• Alos • Pelasgic Argos	• Phthia • Trachis	Achilles	son of Peleus and Thetis	Phtia
			Neoptolemus	son of Achilles and Deidamia	Phtia
			Patroclus	son of Menoetius by either Damocrateia,^[44] Sthenele, Periopis or Polymele^[45] ^[46]	Phtia
No name given	• Antrium• Iton • Phylace	• Pyrasus • Pteleum	Protesilaus	sons of Iphiclus and Diomedeia^[47] or of Phylacus and Astyoche^[48]	Phylace
			Podarces		Phylace
No name given	• Boebe• Glaphyrae	• Iolcus	Eumelus	son of Admetus and Alcestis	Pherae
No name given	• Meliboea• Methone	• Thaumacia	Philoctetes	son of Poeas	Meliboea
			Medon	son of Oileus and Rhene^[49]
No name given	• Ithome• Oechalia	• Tricca	Machaon	sons of Asclepius	Tricca
			Podalirius
No name given	• Asterius• Hypereia (fountain)	• Ormenius • Titanus	Eurypylus	son of Euaemon and Deipyle (Deityche)^[50] or Ops	Ormenios
Lapiths	• Argissa• Elone • Gyrtone	• Oloösson• Orthe	Leonteus	son of Coronus	Gyrtonne
			Polypoetes	son of Pirithous and Hippodamia
Enienes, Peraebi	• Cyphus• Dodona (Thessalian)	• Gonnos • Titaresius	Guneus	son of Ocytus by either Aurophyte or Tauropoleia or Hippodameia^[51]
Magnetes	• Peneus	• Mt. Pelion	Prothous		Magnesia
No name given	• Acarnania		Calchas	son of Thestor and Polymele^[52]
No name given	• Colophon		Mopsus	son of Manto and Rhacius or Apollo
No name given	• Islands of the Cyclades		Epeus	son of Panopeus and Asterodia

See also

• Catalogue of Ships
• Suitors of Helen
• Trojan Leaders
• Trojan War

References

1. [John Malalas|Malalas]
2. • Unknown leader but ships from Phocis were mentioned
3. He was likely be Theseus' son meant by Euripides in his play Iphigenia at Aulis.
4. 30 supply ships for the camps
5. • with 50 oarsmen each who were also archers
6. Malalas, Chronograpy 5.108
7. [Diodorus Siculus]
8. [Tzetzes]
9. [Hyginus]
10. [Euripides]
11. [Tzetzes]
12. [Homer]
13. [Diodorus Siculus]
14. [Tzetzes]
15. Tzetzes, Allegoriae Iliadis, Prologue, 535
16. [Tzetzes]
17. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome of Book 4, 1. 18
18. [Diodorus Siculus]
19. [Stesichorus]
20. Hyginus, Fabulae 71, 175 & 257
21. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.7.2 & 3.10.8
22. Hyginus, Fabulae 97
23. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 562
24. [Hesiod]
25. [Homer]
26. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]
27. [Homer]
28. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories Prologue 534
29. [Hyginus]
30. [Homer]
31. [Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius on Homer]
32. [Tzetzes]
33. [Tzetzes]
34. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 431
35. [Tzetzes]
36. [Homer]
37. [Pseudo-Apollodorus]
38. [Pindar]
39. [Hesiod]
40. [Homer]
41. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]
42. [Diodorus Siculus]
43. [Tzetzes]
44. [Scholia]
45. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]
46. [Plutarch]
47. [Hyginus]
48. [Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]
49. [Homer]
50. [Tzetzes]
51. [Tzetzes]
52. [Tzetzes]