Achaean Leaders

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

List of Achaean Leaders and their Catalogue of Ships

Ethnicity	Leader	Suitor of Helen	Sources
			Homer	Ships	Euripides	Ships	Apollodorus	Ships	Dictys	Ships	Hyginus	Ships	Dares	Ships
Boeotians	Thersander		✓	50 of 120 men each			10 leaders	40	✓	50
	Peneleos	✓	✓						✓	50	✓	12
	Leitus	✓	✓		✓	50			✓		✓	12
	Clonius		✓						✓		✓	9
	Arcesilaus		✓						✓				✓	50
	Prothoenor								✓				✓
Minyans (Orchomenians)	Ascalaphus	✓	✓	30			4 leaders	30	✓	30	✓	30	✓	30
	Ialmenus	✓	✓						✓		✓	30	✓
Phocēans	Epistrophus	✓	✓	40	[1]		4 leaders	40	✓	50	✓	10	✓	40
	Schedius	✓	✓										✓
Locrians	Ajax the Lesser	✓	✓	40	✓	(50?)	✓	40	✓	40	✓	20	✓	37
Abantes of Euboea	Elephenor	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	30
Athenians	Menestheus	✓	✓	50			✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50
	Acamas		✓
	Demophon		✓		✓[2]	60
Salamineans	Ajax	✓	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	11?
	Teucer	✓									✓	12	✓
Argives	Diomedes	✓	✓	80	✓	50	✓	80	✓	80	✓	30	✓	80
	Sthenelus	✓	✓		✓						✓	25	✓
	Euryalus		✓		✓						✓	15	✓
	Amphilochus	✓
	Phoenix										✓	50
	Cycnus										✓	12
Mycenaeans	Agamemnon		✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100	✓	100
	Adrastus				✓
	Amarynceus										✓	19
Lacedaemonians	Menelaus	✓	✓	60	✓	?	✓	60	✓	60	✓	60	✓	60
No name given.	Nestor		✓	90	✓	50	✓	40	✓	90	✓	90	✓	80
	Antilochus	✓									✓	20
Arcadians	Agapenor	✓	✓	60			✓	7	✓	60*	✓	60	✓	60
Epeans of Elis	Amphimachus	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	10	✓	40
	Thalpius	✓	✓						✓				✓
	Diōres		✓						✓				✓
	Polyxenus	✓	✓						✓		✓	40	✓
	Eurytus				✓	?
Taphians
	Meges	✓	✓	40	✓	?	✓	40	✓	40	✓	60
Men of Dulichium
Cephallenians	Odysseus	✓	✓	12	✓	?	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12	✓	12
Aetolians	Thoas	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	15	✓	40
Cretans	Idomeneus	✓	✓	80			✓	40	✓	80			✓	80
	Meriones	✓	✓		✓	?			✓		✓	40	✓
Rhodians	Tlepolemus	✓	✓	9			✓	9	✓	9	✓	9	✓	9
Symians	Nireus	✓	✓	3	✓	?	✓	3	✓	3	✓	16	✓	53
No name given.	Phidippus	✓	✓	30			✓	30	✓	30			✓	30
	Antiphus		✓				✓		✓		✓	20	✓
Pelasgians, Myrmidons, Hellenes, Achaeans	Achilles		✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50	✓	50
	Neoptolemus
	Patroclus	✓									✓	10	✓
No name given (Scyrians)	Automedon										✓	10
No name given	Protesilaus	✓	✓	40	✓	?	✓	40	✓	40	(✓)		✓	40
	Podarces	✓	✓						✓		✓	10	✓
No name given	Eumelus	✓	✓	11	✓	?	✓	11	✓	11	✓	8	✓	10
No name given	Philoctetes	✓	✓	7[3]			✓	7	✓	7	✓	7	✓	7
	Medon		✓
No name given	Machaon	✓	✓	30					✓	30	✓	20	✓	32
	Podalirius	✓	✓				✓	30	✓		✓	9	✓
No name given	Eurypylus	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40
Lapiths	Leonteus	✓	✓	40					✓	40	✓	19	✓	40
	Polypoetes	✓	✓				✓	30	✓		✓	20	✓
Enienes, Peraebi	Guneus		✓	22	✓	12	✓	22	✓	22			✓	21
Magnetes	Prothous	✓	✓	40			✓	40	✓	40	✓	40	✓	40
No name given	Palamedes				✓	?
No name given	Calchas								✓	20
No name given	Mopsus								✓	20
No name given	Epeius								✓	30
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 • Onchestus • Peteon • Plataea • Schoenus • Scolus • Thebes • Thespeia • Thisbe	Thersander	son of Polynices and Argea	Thebes
			Peneleos	son of Hippalcimus and Asterope[4]	Boeotia
			Leitus	son Alector[5] and Polybule[6] or of Lacritus and Cleobule[7] or of Gaia (Earth)[8]	Boeotia
			Clonius	son of Alegenor[9] or of Alector and Acteis[10] or of Lacritus and Cleobule[7]	Boeotia
			Arcesilaus	son of Areilycus[11][9] and Theobule or of Alector and Cleobule[12]	Boeotia
			Prothoenor	son of Areilycus[11][9] and Theobule or of Alector and Arteis[13]	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[14]	Athens
			Acamas	son of Theseus and Phaedra
			Demophon	son of Theseus and Phaedra[15][16] or Iope[17]
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[18][19] and Evadne[4]
			Euryalus	son of Mecisteus and Astyoche[20]
			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[21]	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[22] or Eurydice.[23]
Arcadians	• Cyllene • Enispe • Mantinea • Orchomenus • Parrhasia	• Pheneus • Rhipae • Stratie • Stymphalos • Tegea	Agapenor	son of Ancaeus and Iotis[4]	Arcadia
Epeans of Elis	• Alesium • Buprasium • Hyrmine	• Myrsinus • Olene	Amphimachus	son of Cteatus and Theronice[24]	Elis
			Thalpius	son of Eurytus and Theraephone
			Diōres	son of Amarynceus and Mnesimache[25]
			Polyxenus	son of Agasthenes and Peloris
Men of Dulichium	• Dulichium	• Echinean Islands	Meges	son of Phyleus either by Eustyoche,[26][27] Ctimene, Timandra,[28] Hagnete or Ctesimache[29]	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	• Cnossus • Gortys • Lycastus • Lyctus	• Miletus • Phaestus • Rhytium	Idomeneus	son of Deucalion and Cleopatra[30][31]	Crete
			Meriones	son of Molus and Melphis or Euippe[32]
Rhodians	• Cameirus • Ielysus	• Lindus	Tlepolemus	son of Heracles and Astyoche[33][34] or Astydameia[35][36]	Rhodes
Symians	• Symi		Nireus	son of Charopus and Aglaea[37][38][39][40]	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,[41] Sthenele, Periopis or Polymele[42][43]	Phtia
No name given	• Antrium • Iton • Phylace	• Pyrasus • Pteleum	Protesilaus	sons of Iphiclus and Diomedeia[44] or of Phylacus and Astyoche[45]	Phylace
			Podarces		Phylace
No name given	• Boebe • Glaphyrae	• Iolcus • Pherae	Eumelus	son of Admetus and Alcestis	Pherae
No name given	• Meliboea • Methone	• Thaumacia	Philoctetes	son of Poeas	Meliboea
			Medon	son of Oileus and Rhene[46]
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)[47] or Ops[26]	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[48]
Magnetes	• Peneus	• Mt. Pelion	Prothous	son of Tenthredon and Eurymache or Cleobule	Magnesia
No name given	• Acarnania		Calchas	son of Thestor and Polymele[49]
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

References

1. *Unknown leader but ships from Phocis were mentioned
2. He was likely be Theseus' son meant by Euripides in his play Iphigenia at Aulis.
3. *with 50 oarsmen each who were also archers
4. Hyginus, Fabulae 97
5. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 4.67.7
6. Tzetzes, Allegoriae Iliadis, Prologue 534
7. Hyginus, Fabulae 97
8. Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis 259
9. Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, 4. 67. 7
10. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 536
11. Homer, Iliad, 2. 495
12. Tzetzes, Allegoriae Iliadis, Prologue, 534
13. Tzetzes, Allegoriae Iliadis, Prologue, 535
14. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 554 - 555
15. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, Epitome of Book 4, 1. 18
16. Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, 4. 62. 1
17. Stesichorus fragment 193. 23-24; Iope is also mentioned by Plutarch in Theseus, 29. 1
18. Hyginus, Fabulae 71, 175 & 257
19. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.7.2 & 3.10.8
20. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 562
21. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women fr. 69.
22. Homer, Odyssey 3.451–52
23. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.9.9
24. Homer, Iliad 2.615
25. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories Prologue 534
26. Hyginus, Fabulae, 97
27. Homer, Iliad 2.637
28. Eustathius on Homer, 305. 15
29. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 576 - 577
30. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories Prologue 587
31. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 431
32. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 588
33. Homer, Iliad 2.653–70.
34. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.7.6
35. Pindar, Olympia 7.20–30.
36. Hesiod, Catalogue of Women fr. 232 M–W = schol. Pind. Ol. 7.42b
37. Homer, Iliad 2.672
38. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca Epitome of Book 4.3.13
39. Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 5.53.2
40. Tzetzes on Lycophron, 1011
41. Scholia on Pindar, Olympian Ode 9 & 107
42. Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.13.8
43. Plutarch, Aristides 20.6
44. Hyginus, Fabulae 103
45. Eustathius on Homer, Iliad 323, 41
46. Homer, Iliad, 2. 727
47. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 619 - 620
48. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories, Prologue, 629 - 630
49. Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories Prologue 639

See also

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