Machaon
heroSon of Asclepius and chief surgeon of the Greek army at Troy, killed by Eurypylus son of Telephus.
The Myth
He was so valuable that when he was wounded, the entire Greek army panicked — Idomeneus declared him worth more than many warriors. Machaon was the battlefield surgeon at Troy, extracting arrows and applying herbs learned from his father Asclepius. He healed Menelaus after Paris's arrow struck him. When Machaon himself was wounded, Nestor rushed him from the field in his chariot. He was eventually killed by Eurypylus, son of Telephus, in one of the war's cruellest ironies — the son of the man Achilles's spear had healed killed the man who healed the Greeks. His bones were brought to Messenia, where a healing cult grew around his tomb.
Parents
Asclepius, Epione
Symbols
Fun Fact
A healing sanctuary at Gerenia in Messenia was built around Machaon's tomb.
Explore Further
Eurypylus of Mysia
heroSon of Telephus who led a Mysian army to Troy as the last major reinforcement and was killed by...
Asclepius (God)
godAsclepius began as a mortal hero trained by Chiron who became so skilled at medicine that he could...
Asclepius
heroThe legendary physician who could cure any illness and even raise the dead. Son of Apollo, his...
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Idomeneus
heroIdomeneus was the king of Crete who led eighty ships to Troy and was among the fiercest fighters —...
Idomeneus of Crete
heroKing of Crete and grandson of Minos who led eighty ships to Troy and made a rash vow to Poseidon on...
Menelaus
heroMenelaus was the king of Sparta whose stolen wife Helen was the cause of the Trojan War — yet he...
Nestor
heroNestor was the oldest and wisest Greek at Troy, whose long-winded reminiscences and sound counsel...
Paris
heroParis was the Trojan prince whose judgement of three goddesses and abduction of Helen ignited the...
Telephus
heroSon of Heracles and Auge, king of Mysia, who was wounded by Achilles and could only be healed by...
Podalirius
heroSon of Asclepius and Greek physician at Troy who specialized in internal medicine while his brother...
Troy
placeThe legendary city in Asia Minor besieged by the Greeks for ten years in the Trojan War. Troy's...