Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...

, Priam (; grc-gre, Πρίαμος, ) was the legendary and last king of

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...

during the

Trojan War In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans ( Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and ...

. He was the son of Laomedon. His many children included notable characters such as Hector,

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, and Cassandra.

Etymology

Most scholars take the etymology of the name from the Luwian 𒉺𒊑𒀀𒈬𒀀 (Pa-ri-a-mu-a-, or “exceptionally courageous”), attested as the name of a man from Zazlippa, in

Kizzuwatna Kizzuwatna (or Kizzuwadna; in Ancient Egyptian ''Kode'' or ''Qode''), was an ancient Anatolian kingdom in the 2nd millennium BC. It was situated in the highlands of southeastern Anatolia, near the Gulf of İskenderun, in modern-day Turkey. It ...

. A similar form is attested transcribed in Greek as ''Paramoas'' near Kaisareia in

Cappadocia Cappadocia or Capadocia (; tr, Kapadokya), is a historical region in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It largely is in the provinces Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. According to Herodotus, in the time of the Ionian Revo ...

. Some have identified Priam with the historical figure of Piyama-Radu, a warlord active in the vicinity of Wilusa. However, this identification is disputed, and is highly unlikely, given that he was known in Hittite records as being an ally of the Ahhiyawa against Wilusa. A popular folk etymology derives the name from the Greek verb , meaning 'to buy'. This in turn gives rise to a story of Priam's sister Hesione ransoming his freedom, with a golden veil that Aphrodite herself once owned, from

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptiv ...

, thereby 'buying' him. This story is attested in the '' Bibliotheca'' and in other influential mythographical works dated to the first and second centuries AD. These sources are, however, dated much later than the first attestations of the name Priamos or Pariya-muwas, and thus are more problematic.

Description

Priam was described by the chronicler

Malalas John Malalas ( el, , ''Iōánnēs Malálas''; – 578) was a Byzantine chronicler from Antioch (now Antakya, Turkey). Life Malalas was of Syrian descent, and he was a native speaker of Syriac who learned how to write in Greek later i ...

in his account of the ''Chronography'' as " tall for the age, big, good, ruddy-colored, light-eyed, long-nosed, eyebrows meeting, keen-eyed, gray, restrained". Meanwhile, in the account of Dares the Phrygian, he was illustrated as ". . .had a handsome face and a pleasant voice. He was large and swarthy".

Marriage and children

: ''See List of children of Priam'' Priam is said to have fathered fifty sons and many daughters, with his chief wife Hecuba, daughter of the

Phrygia In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, Φρυγία, ''Phrygía'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empir ...

n king Dymas and many other wives and concubines. These children include famous mythological figures such as Hector,

, Helenus, Cassandra, Deiphobus, Troilus, Laodice, Polyxena,

Creusa In Greek mythology, Creusa (; grc, Κρέουσα ''Kreousa'' "princess") may refer to the following figures: * Creusa, a naiad daughter of Gaia. * Creusa, daughter of Erechtheus, King of Athens and his wife, Praxithea. * Creusa, also known ...

, and Polydorus. Priam was killed when he was around 80 years old by Achilles' son Neoptolemus. Amphora death Priam Louvre F222

Life

In Book 3 of

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

's ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Ody ...

'', Priam tells

Helen of Troy Helen of Troy, Helen, Helena, (Ancient Greek: Ἑλένη ''Helénē'', ) also known as beautiful Helen, Helen of Argos, or Helen of Sparta, was a figure in Greek mythology said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. She was believe ...

that he once helped King Mygdon of Phrygia in a battle against the

Amazons In Greek mythology, the Amazons (Ancient Greek: Ἀμαζόνες ''Amazónes'', singular Ἀμαζών ''Amazōn'', via Latin ''Amāzon, -ŏnis'') are portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercule ...

. When Hector is killed by

Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pe ...

, the Greek warrior treats the body with disrespect and refuses to give it back. According to Homer in book XXIV of the ''Iliad'',

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek relig ...

sends the god

Hermes Hermes (; grc-gre, Ἑρμῆς) is an Olympian deity in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Hermes is considered the herald of the gods. He is also considered the protector of human heralds, travellers, thieves, merchants, and orat ...

to escort King Priam, Hector's father and the ruler of Troy, into the Greek camp. Priam tearfully pleads with Achilles to take pity on a father bereft of his son and return Hector's body. He invokes the memory of Achilles' own father,

Peleus In Greek mythology, Peleus (; Ancient Greek: Πηλεύς ''Pēleus'') was a hero, king of Phthia, husband of Thetis and the father of their son Achilles. This myth was already known to the hearers of Homer in the late 8th century BC. Bi ...

. Priam begs Achilles to pity him, saying "I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before – I put my lips to the hands of the man who killed my son." Deeply moved, Achilles relents and returns Hector's corpse to the Trojans. Both sides agree to a temporary truce, and Achilles gives Priam leave to hold a proper funeral for Hector, complete with funeral games. He promises that no Greek will engage in combat for at least nine days, but on the twelfth day of peace, the Greeks would all stand once more and the mighty war would continue. Priam is killed during the

Sack of Troy The ''Iliupersis'' (Greek: , ''Iliou persis'', "Sack of Ilium"), also known as ''The Sack of Troy'', is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the Trojan cycle, which told the entire history of the Troj ...

by Achilles' son Neoptolemus (also known as Pyrrhus). His death is graphically related in Book II of

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: th ...

's ''

Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; la, Aenē̆is or ) is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who fled the fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of ...

''. In Virgil's description, Neoptolemus first kills Priam's son Polites in front of his father as he seeks sanctuary on the altar of Zeus. Priam rebukes Neoptolemus, throwing a spear at him, harmlessly hitting his shield. Neoptolemus then drags Priam to the altar and there kills him too. Priam's death is alternatively depicted in some Greek vases. In this version, Neoptolemus clubs Priam to death with the corpse of the latter's baby grandson,

Astyanax In Greek mythology, Astyanax (; grc, Ἀστυάναξ ''Astyánax'', "lord of the city") was the son of Hector, the crown prince of Troy, and his wife, Princess Andromache of Cilician Thebe."Astyanax". ''Oxford Classical Dictionary''. Oxford, ...

.''Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae'' II.2.684–85 It has been suggested by Hittite sources, specifically the Manapa-Tarhunta letter, that there is historical basis for the

archetype The concept of an archetype (; ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis. An archetype can be any of the following: # a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that ...

of King Priam. The letter describes one Piyama-Radu as a troublesome rebel who overthrew a Hittite

client king A client state, in international relations, is a state that is economically, politically, and/or militarily subordinate to another more powerful state (called the "controlling state"). A client state may variously be described as satellite state, ...

and thereafter established his own rule over the city of Troy (mentioned as Wilusa in Hittite). There is also mention of an Alaksandu, suggested to be Alexander (King Priam's son from the ''

''), a later ruler of the city of Wilusa who established peace between Wilusa and

Hatti Hatti may refer to *Hatti (; Assyrian ) in Bronze Age Anatolia: **the area of Hattusa, roughly delimited by the Halys bend **the Hattians of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC **the Hittites of ''ca'' 1400–1200 BC **the areas to the west of the Euphr ...

(see the Alaksandu treaty).

Gallery

File:The Death of Priam (SM 1945).png, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by Johann Andreas Herrlein File:Vincenzo Camuccini & Tommaso Piroli - The Death of Priam, 1794-95.jpg, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by Vincenzo Camuccini File:Gavin Hamilton (1723-1798) - Priam Pleading with Achilles for the Body of Hector - T00864 - Tate.jpg, alt=, ''Priam Pleading with Achilles for the Body of Hector'' by Gavin Hamilton (1775) File:Alexandr Ivanov 005.jpg, alt=, ''Priam asks Achilles to return Hector's body'' by Alexander Ivanov File:Langlois Priam aux pieds d'Achille.JPG, alt=, ''Priam at the feet of Achilles'' by Jérôme-Martin Langlois File:Eugène Carrière Priam.jpg, alt=, ''Priam at the feet of Achilles'' by Eugène Carrière (1876) File:Lefebvre La mort de Priam.JPG, alt=, ''The Death of Priamos'' by

Jules Lefebvre Jules Joseph Lefebvre (; 14 March 183624 February 1911) was a French figure painter, educator and theorist. Early life Lefebvre was born in Tournan-en-Brie Tournan-en-Brie (, literally ''Tournan in Brie''), or simply Tournan, is a commune i ...

File:Pierre Narcisse Guérin - The Death of Priam, 1817.jpg, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by

Pierre-Narcisse Guérin Pierre-Narcisse, baron Guérin (13 March 1774 – 6 July 1833) was a French painter born in Paris. Background A pupil of Jean-Baptiste Regnault, he carried off one of the three ''grands prix'' offered in 1796, in consequence of the competitio ...

File:Jean Baptiste Regnault - The Death of Priam, 1785.jpg, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by

Jean-Baptiste Regnault Jean-Baptiste Regnault (9 October 1754 – 12 November 1829) was a French painter. Biography Regnault was born in Paris, and began life at sea in a merchant vessel. At the age of fifteen his talent attracted attention, and he was sent to ...

File:Priam holding the golden urn with the remains of Hector MET 225139.jpg, alt=, ''Priam holding the golden urn with the remains of Hector'' by Giovanni Maria Benzoni File:Priam Ransoming Hector's Body MET 225137.jpg, alt=, ''Priam Ransoming Hector's Body'' by Giovanni Maria Benzoni File:Priam Supplicating Achilles for the Body of Hector MET SF40 20 40.jpg, alt=, ''Priam Supplicating Achilles for the Body of Hector'' by Giuseppe Girometti File:Helen and Priam at the Scaen Gate.jpg, alt=, ''Helen and Priam at the Scaen Gate'' by Richard Cook File:Wencker Priam aux pieds d'Achille.JPG, alt=, ''Priam at the feet of Achilles'' by Joseph Wencker File:Théobald Chartran - Priam demandant à Achille le corps d'Hector - PPP4985 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg, alt=, ''Priam demandant à Achille le corps d'Hector'' by Théobald Chartran File:Firmin-Girard 1861.jpg, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by François-Marie Firmin-Girard (1861) File:Leloir, Mort de Priam, 1861.jpg, alt=, ''The Death of Priam'' by Alexandre-Louis Leloir (1861) File:Luigi Schiavonetti - Priam Begs the Body of Hector, 1805.jpg, alt=, ''Priam Begs the Body of Hector'' by

Henry Fuseli Henry Fuseli ( ; German: Johann Heinrich Füssli ; 7 February 1741 – 17 April 1825) was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer on art who spent much of his life in Britain. Many of his works, such as ''The Nightmare'', deal with supernatur ...

File:The Sack of Troy- Pyrrhus Killing Priam MET DP803390.jpg, alt=, ''The Sack of Troy: Pyrrhus Killing Priam'' by Franz Cleyn File:Achilles and Priam, in conversation outside of Troy MET DP878758.jpg, alt=, ''Achilles and Priam, in conversation outside of Troy'' by Lucas Vorsterman II

Family tree

Cultural depiction

King Priam ''King Priam'' is an opera by Michael Tippett, to his own libretto. The story is based on Homer's ''Iliad'', except the birth and childhood of Paris, which are taken from the ''Fabulae'' of Hyginus. The premiere was on 29 May 1962, at Coventry. ...

, a 1962 opera by Michael Tippett

Notes

References

Apollodorus Apollodorus (Greek: Ἀπολλόδωρος ''Apollodoros'') was a popular name in ancient Greece. It is the masculine gender of a noun compounded from Apollo, the deity, and doron, "gift"; that is, "Gift of Apollo." It may refer to: :''Note: A f ...

, ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
*

, ''The Iliad'' with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
*Homer, ''Homeri Opera'' in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920.
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library
* Smith, William; ''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/ biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 ...

'', London (1873)
"Priamus"
{{Authority control Mythological kings of Troy Kings in Greek mythology Trojans Characters in the Aeneid Characters in the Iliad Characters in Greek mythology Mythology of Heracles