Myrmidons, the Army of Achilles

The Myrmidons were descended from Aiacus, the son of Zeus and Aegina. According to one of the myths, Hera, in order to avenge her husband’s infidelity, sent three snakes to Aesop’s island, Aegina. The reptiles poisoned the water and all the inhabitants of the island met a tragic death. The only one who survived was Aiakos. Then his mother, Aegina, so that he would not be alone, begged Zeus to help him. Zeus turned the ants on a rotting tree trunk into humans, the Myrmidons.

In an other version, during the Homeric era, the inhabitants of Phthia were called Myrmidones. They took their name from Myrmidon, son of Zeus and Eurymedusa, according to the legend. The same myth states that Zeus transformed himself into an ant in order to mate with the said princess, hence the name of their offspring.

Aeakos had three sons. One of them was Peleus, who, after killing his one brother, fled with some Myrmidons to the region of Phthia, today’s eastern Fthiotida, and created the kingdom of the Myrmidons. Peleus married the sea goddess, Thetis, and they had a son, Achilles.

The armor of the warriors played an important role in protecting them from the blows of the enemies. It was a badge of prestige and was different for each tribe. They were heavy and usually made of copper and bronze. The armor of the Myrmidons was brown in color like the ants from which they descended.

The most elaborate and best armor belonged to their king, Achilles, as it was made by the god Hephaestus. During the Trojan War, Achilles lost his armor when Patroclus wore it to mislead the Trojans and was killed by Hector. Then Achilles’ mother, Thetis, asked Hephaestus to make him a new one.

His new shield was a work of art and is described in every detail by Homer.From the center to the edge were carved representations of the sea, the sky, the earth, the sun, the moon and the stars.

Hephaestus had engraved on the shield two states, in one the people were presented living in peace and in the second with war. Achilles’ shield chronicled the joy of peace and the calamity of war.

The Myrmidons highly developed their shipping and had created a large fleet of ships. Like the rest of the ancient races, they fought bravely, aiming for dominance and a glorious death. They used javelins, swords and spears. The conflict began with the duel of the chieftains who moved to the battlefield in chariots.

The king of the Myrmidons, Achilles, came before the array of warriors and dueled with his adversary. First they threw javelins at each other from a distance. Then came the fight with the spears, and when they broke, the swords were drawn. When one of the two fell dead the soldiers threw themselves into hand-to-hand combat.

The army of Myrmidons in Troy

According to mythology, when Aeacus built the walls of Troy, three serpents came out of the sea and headed for the city. The two were unable to break through the wall of Aeacus, but one managed to enter the city. When the Trojans asked the oracle what the serpent’s invasion meant, the god replied that the builder’s offspring would destroy their city.

A few years later Odysseus managed to find the famous Myrmidon, Achilles and convince him to join their campaign against Troy. The Myrmidons led by their king, set out with 50 ships for Troy. They were considered the best team to participate in the war as the moment they set foot in Troy, Achilles’ anger forced the Trojans into retreat.

During the ten-year siege of Troy, the Myrmidons captured and sacked a total of 23 allied cities. Achilles was the person who caused the greatest losses in the opposing camp.

The contribution of the Myrmidons to the Trojan war was seen when they withdrew from the war for a while by order of Achilles. The reason was Achilles’ rivalry with Agamemnon, because he took the priestess Briseis from him.

Then, the Trojans gained ground and prevailed over the Achaeans in their battles.The Achaeans begged Achilles, who had been shut up in his tent, and his elite battalion to return to the war, promising to fulfill his every wish. fter pressure the Myrmidons who lived to fight, threw themselves back into battle led by Achilles’ loyal friend, Patroclus.

Patroclus donned Achilles’ armor to deceive his enemies. When Hector killed him, Achilles’ revenge was unprecedented. He challenged Hector to a duel and killed him.

The Myrmidons verified the oracle. They entered Troy, destroyed the city and massacred the inhabitants with Achilles being killed when he was struck by Paris

After pressure the Myrmidons who lived to fight, threw themselves back into battle led by Achilles’ loyal friend, Patroclus. Patroclus wore the armorcchilles to mislead enemies. When Hector killed him, Achilles’ revenge was unprecedented. He challenged Hector to a duel and killed him.

The Myrmidons verified the oracle. They entered Troy, destroyed the city and massacred the inhabitants with Achilles being killed when he was struck by Paris.