Greek Heroes » Achilles, the most important hero of the Trojan War
Achilles was a hero of the Trojan War and the main character in Homer's Epos, the "Iliad" Greek pronunciation English pronunciation Statue of the dying Achilles in the Achilleion palace of Corfu, Greece Family of Achilles The weakness of Achilles

Achilles was the most handsome, capable and worthy of all the heroes who participated in the Trojan War.

Family of Achilles

Achilles was born in the ancient city of Fthia (presumably the modern Farsala of Thessaly/Central Greece) as the son of Peleus, the King of Fthia, and the silver footed sea goddess Thetis.

The weakness of Achilles

Thetis, the mother of Achilles, was strongly attached to her son and when he was born, she attempted to make him immortal by dipping him in the sacred waters of the river Styx. However, Thetis did not quite achieve what she had hoped for... while she was keeping him inside the waters, she had to hold her child by one heel, leaving one vulnerable spot in the body of Achilles. This weakness turned out to be crucial for Achilles, since he got killed during the Trojan War by an arrow that hit exactly that spot.

The expression "Achilles heel" remains until today, describing a small, but important weakness of a human being.

View the probable location of Ancient Fthia in a larger map

Myths about Achilles
Achilles and the Trojan War	The Mourning of Achilles	The Death of Achilles