Pheidippos
Son of Thessalus who co-commanded forces from Cos with his brother Antiphus at Troy
The Legend of Pheidippos
Pheidippos was the son of Thessalus and grandson of Heracles who shared command of the island contingent with his brother Antiphus. They led thirty ships from Cos, Crapathus, Casos, and Nisyros, islands in the southeastern Aegean. Pheidippos bore a name meaning sparing of horses, suggesting a connection to the equestrian traditions that were part of his Heraclid heritage. He and his brother represented the second generation of Heraclids at Troy, their grandfather having attacked the city in the previous generation. Pheidippos fought through the long siege, and some later traditions connected him to post-war colonisation efforts. The island contingent from Cos was significant because the island later became famous for its medical tradition, though in Homer's day it was known primarily as a wealthy and fertile land.
Parents
Thessalus
Symbols
Fun Fact
Pheidippos came from Cos, the island that would later become the birthplace of Hippocratic medicine
Explore Further
Antiphus
🗡 heroCoan leadership, Heracles heritage
Son of the Thessalian king Thessalus who co-commanded the forces from Cos and nearby islands
Thessalus
🗡 heroKingship, Heracles heritage
Son of Heracles and legendary ancestor after whom the region of Thessaly was named
Ialmenus
🗡 heroOrchomenian leadership, Ares heritage
Son of Ares who co-commanded the Orchomenian contingent at Troy with his brother Ascalaphus
Tlepolemos
🗡 heroRhodian leadership, Heracles heritage
Son of Heracles who led the Rhodian contingent at Troy and was killed by Sarpedon
Coronus
🗡 heroLapith heritage, combat
Son of the Lapith lord Caeneus who sailed with the Argonauts as a representative of his people
Meges
🗡 heroNone recorded
Greek warrior from Dulichium who led the Epeians to Troy and fought bravely at the ships
Thalpius
🗡 heroEpeian leadership, combat
Co-commander of the Epeian contingent from Elis who led troops to Troy in the Catalogue of Ships
Thoas of Aetolia
🗡 heroLeadership, Trojan War, Survival
Aetolian king and capable Greek commander at Troy who led forty black ships and survived the war.
Phalerus
🗡 heroSeamanship, Athenian heritage
Athenian Argonaut after whom the ancient port of Phaleron near Athens was named
Epistrophus
🗡 heroPhocian leadership, combat
Co-commander of the Phocian forces at Troy who shared leadership with his kinsman Schedius
Eudoros
🗡 heroMyrmidon leadership, Hermes heritage
Son of Hermes and commander of one of the five Myrmidon divisions under Achilles
Nausithous
🗡 heroNone recorded
Founder and first king of the Phaeacians on the island of Scheria