Agamemnon was one of the most distinguished Greek heroes who participated in the Trojan War

Agamemnon was the King of Mycenae and leader of the Greek forces at Troy. Agamemnon is mostly mentioned in Aeschylus’ play, "Agamemnon" and in Homer’s epos, the "Iliad".

Agamemnon was the son of the King Atreus, who got dethroned and murdered by his brother, Aegisthus. During this period, Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus were taking refuge with Tyndareus, king of Sparta. Agamemnon wanted Tyndareus’ daughter Clytemnestra for his wife and therefore killed her first husband and child. He then married Clytemnestra and Menelaus married Clytemnestra’s half sister, Helen.

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra had 4 children: Iphigenia, Electra, Chrysothemis and Orestes. In order to appease Artemis to calm the wings of the Greek sails and make them arrive safely in Troy, Agamemnon was told by the seer Calchas to sacrifice his eldest daughter Iphigenia to Artemis. Agamemnon finally gave in and Iphigenia was brought to Aulis in order to be sacrificed; in the end, however, Artemis decided to save Iphigenia and carried her away, putting a deer in her place.