Tlepolemus

hero

Τληπόλεμος

war

Son of Heracles who killed his great-uncle, fled to Rhodes, and led nine ships to Troy where Sarpedon killed him.

The Myth

He accidentally killed his own great-uncle — and his exile led to the founding of one of Greece's greatest island states. Tlepolemus struck down Licymnius (Heracles's half-brother) in anger, then fled to Rhodes where he became king and divided the island into three cities. At Troy, he taunted Sarpedon, son of Zeus, calling him a coward. They fought and killed each other simultaneously — Tlepolemus's spear hit Sarpedon's thigh while Sarpedon's spear pierced his neck. Zeus saved his own son but let Heracles's son die. The Rhodians honored Tlepolemus with funeral games, the Tlepolemeia.

Parents

Heracles, Astyoche

Symbols

spearship

Fun Fact

Rhodes celebrated the Tlepolemeia festival — funeral games for a hero who died fighting a son of Zeus.

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