Agamemnon is a figure in Greek mythology, most notably featured in Homer’s “Iliad,” an epic poem about the Trojan War. He was the king of Mycenae or Argos (the texts are not clear), and was the leader of the Greek forces during the Trojan War.
Agamemnon was a central figure in the conflict. He is the brother of Menelaus, whose wife, Helen, was taken by Paris of Troy, sparking the war. Despite his high rank and position, Agamemnon is often depicted as a flawed leader. One of his major character flaws is his arrogance. In the Iliad, his decision to take Briseis, a war captive, from Achilles leads to a major conflict and Achilles’ withdrawal from the war, which nearly leads to the downfall of the Greek forces.
After the war, according to the legend, Agamemnon returns home and is tragically murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, as revenge for Agamemnon’s sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia, to ensure favorable winds for the Greek fleet sailing to Troy. This series of events is the basis for several tragedies, including plays by Aeschylus and Euripides.