Armour of Achilles
Two sets of divinely forged armour worn by the greatest Greek warrior, both crafted by Hephaestus
The Meaning of Armour of Achilles
The Armour of Achilles plays a pivotal role in the narrative of the Iliad and the broader Trojan War cycle. Achilles possessed two sets of divine armour, both crafted by Hephaestus at the request of his mother, the sea-nymph Thetis. The first set was given to Achilles when he departed for Troy. When Achilles withdrew from battle after his quarrel with Agamemnon, his companion Patroclus begged to borrow the armour to rally the demoralised Greeks. Achilles consented, and Patroclus fought valiantly in the divine panoply, but Apollo struck him senseless on the battlefield, and Hector delivered the killing blow. Hector then stripped the armour and wore it himself — a supreme insult. Consumed by grief and rage, Achilles resolved to return to battle, but lacked armour. Thetis ascended to Olympus and persuaded Hephaestus to forge a second, even more magnificent set, crowned by the famous shield depicting the cosmos. Clad in this new armour, Achilles returned to the field, slew Hector, and dragged his body behind his chariot. After Achilles himself fell to Paris's arrow, the armour was contested between Ajax and Odysseus. When the prize was awarded to Odysseus, Ajax went mad with shame and killed himself.
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
Shield of Achilles
💭 conceptArtefact
The divinely crafted shield described in the Iliad, depicting the entire cosmos and human civilisation
Aspis
💭 conceptwarfare, art
The elaborately decorated shield of Heracles described in a poem attributed to Hesiod, depicting scenes of gods, war, and daily life in a tradition echoing the Shield of Achilles.
The Trojan War
💭 conceptWar, fate, heroism
A ten-year siege of Troy by a coalition of Greek kings, sparked by the abduction of Helen and shaped by the rivalries of the gods.
God of Fire
💭 conceptFire, metalworking, craftsmanship, sculpture
Hephaestus, the divine smith, controls fire and forges the weapons and armour of the gods.
Sack of Troy
💭 conceptNarrative
The brutal destruction and plundering of Troy during the night following the wooden horse stratagem
Amazonomachy
💭 conceptBattle of Greeks and Amazons
The Amazonomachy was the legendary battle between the Athenians and the Amazons who invaded Athens — depicted alongside the Centauromachy as a key symbol of Greek triumph.
Aristeia of Diomedes
💭 conceptwar, heroism
The battle sequence in Iliad Book 5 where Diomedes, empowered by Athena, wounds both Aphrodite and Ares, achieving the extraordinary feat of harming immortal gods.
Perseus and Medusa
💭 conceptNarrative
The hero's quest to slay the mortal Gorgon and his ingenious use of divine gifts to accomplish the impossible
Belt of Hippolyte
💭 conceptartifact
Magical war girdle given to the Amazon queen by her father Ares, conferring martial supremacy on its wearer.
Goddess of Wisdom
💭 conceptWisdom, strategy, crafts, warfare
Athena embodies strategic intelligence, skilled craftsmanship, and disciplined warfare, standing as protector of civilized life.
Dying Gaul
💭 conceptHellenistic sculpture
A Roman marble copy of a lost Hellenistic bronze depicting a wounded Gallic warrior in his final moments, celebrated for its dignified portrayal of a defeated enemy
Battle of Marathon
💭 conceptwar, divine intervention
The 490 BC battle where Athenian hoplites defeated Persia, believed by the Greeks to have been won with the aid of Pan, Theseus, and the hero Echetlus.