Priam | King of Troy

Priam (Classical Greek: Πρίαμος; Romaniz.: Príamos), in Greek mythology, was king of Troy during the Trojan War, and was the son of Laomedon.

His original name was Podarces. His sister, Hesione, at the capture of Troy by Heracles, was given as a gift slave to Télamus. Heracles told Hesione to choose anyone to take with her, and she chose her brother.

Heracles said that Podarces should first become a slave, but then she could redeem him. When Podarces was being sold, Hesione took off his veil and used it to rescue him. For this reason he changed his name to Priam, which means "ransomed."

He had several wives and many children. The first was Arisbe, daughter of Merepe, from whom Esaco was born. Then he had Hecuba as his wife, who gave birth to Hector, Helenus, Cassandra, Polyporus, Creusa, Laodice, Paris, Dêifobo, Polyxena, Polyporus, Antiphus, Troilus, and Ilione.

Other sources report that he had with Hecuba nineteen or twenty children in total. Another wife was Laotoe, mother of Lycaon, and with a slave girl he had Cebrion for a son. In total he had fifty children, living in the Trojan of the golden roofs.

When the Greeks arrived in Troy, Priam was already old and did not actively participate in the war. He ventured into the battlefield to complete the oath concerning the duel between Paris and Menelaus.

After the death of Hector, who was murdered by Achilles, he went to his camp to retrieve the body, thus earning Achilles' admiration. When the Greeks entered the city, Priam wanted to fight, but was persuaded by Hecuba and took refuge with her and her daughters in a temple.

According to some legends, Polydorus entered the temple, pursued by Neoptolemus, and went to die at his feet. Priam tried to strike Neoptolemus, but was brutally killed by him. Other legends say that Priam, mad with grief at seeing Troy in flames, tried to handle his old weapons. Powerless, he fell and was beheaded by a soldier.