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Greek Mythology Notes

Tlepolemos

🗡 heroΤληπόλεμος
Rhodian leadership, Heracles heritage

Son of Heracles who led the Rhodian contingent at Troy and was killed by Sarpedon‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌

The Legend of Tlepolemos

Tlepolemos was the son of the great hero Heracles and Astyocheia, making him one of the most distinguished warriors at Troy by lineage.‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‍​‌ After accidentally killing his father's uncle Licymnius, Tlepolemos fled to Rhodes, where he founded three cities and became ruler of the island. He brought nine ships of Rhodian warriors to Troy. During the fighting, Tlepolemos encountered Sarpedon, the son of Zeus and leader of the Lycians. The two demigods exchanged insults and then hurled their spears simultaneously. Tlepolemos's spear struck Sarpedon in the thigh, wounding him badly, but Sarpedon's spear pierced Tlepolemos's neck, killing him. Thus a son of Heracles fell to a son of Zeus. Sarpedon was carried from the field to recover, while Tlepolemos's body was taken back to the Greek camp.

Parents

Heracles and Astyocheia

Symbols

clublion skin

Fun Fact

Tlepolemos's death was a clash of divine lineages: a son of Heracles killed by a son of Zeus

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