Achilles Tendon
The strongest tendon in the human body connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone, named after Achilles because his heel was the only vulnerable point on his otherwise invincible body
The Meaning of Achilles Tendon
The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body, connecting the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the calf to the calcaneus (heel bone). It was named after the Greek hero Achilles, whose mother Thetis attempted to make him immortal by dipping him in the River Styx. She held the infant by his heel, and that small area where her fingers gripped remained unprotected by the river's magical waters. Achilles grew into the greatest warrior of the Trojan War — swift, powerful, and virtually invulnerable. He killed the Trojan champion Hector in single combat and was the most feared fighter on either side. But the prophecy held: he was destined to die at Troy. Paris, guided by the god Apollo, shot an arrow that struck Achilles in his unprotected heel, killing him. The Achilles tendon was named by the Flemish anatomist Philip Verheyen in 1693. When this tendon ruptures, it can completely incapacitate even the strongest athlete — a medical reality that mirrors the mythological lesson perfectly. The phrase "Achilles heel" meaning a critical vulnerability derives from the same myth and is used across every field of human activity.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Achilles Heel
💭 conceptVulnerability, fatal weakness
A critical weakness that can lead to downfall despite overall strength, from the one spot where Achilles could be harmed.
Achilles
🗡 heroGreatest warrior of the Trojan War
The greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the River Styx as an infant — except for the heel by which his mother held him.
Atlas
💭 conceptAnatomy and mythology
The first cervical vertebra in the human spine, named after the Titan Atlas because it supports the skull just as Atlas was condemned to hold up the heavens
God of Healing
💭 conceptHealing, medicine, plague, purification
Apollo and his son Asclepius govern healing — Apollo as the source of medical knowledge and Asclepius as its practitioner.
Creation of Man
💭 conceptNarrative
The mythological accounts of how humanity was fashioned from clay and endowed with life by the gods
God of Athletes
💭 conceptAthletics, competition, physical excellence, gymnastics
Hermes presides over athletic contests, protecting competitors and rewarding speed, skill, and fair play.
Perseus and Medusa
💭 conceptNarrative
The hero's quest to slay the mortal Gorgon and his ingenious use of divine gifts to accomplish the impossible
Ichor
💭 conceptDivine Nature
The ethereal fluid that flowed through the veins of the Greek gods in place of mortal blood.
Oedipus Cycle
💭 conceptNarrative
The interconnected myths tracing the cursed lineage of Oedipus from prophecy to tragic fulfilment
Oedipus Prophecy
💭 conceptprophecy, fate
The Delphic prophecy that Oedipus would kill his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta, which every attempt to prevent only fulfilled.
Armour of Achilles
💭 conceptArtefact
Two sets of divinely forged armour worn by the greatest Greek warrior, both crafted by Hephaestus
Heroes & Legends
💭 conceptHeroism, mortality, glory
The mortal and semi-divine champions of Greek myth — warriors, wanderers, and tragic figures whose deeds earned them a fame that outlasted death itself.