TWT-01
John Jenkins Designs
Priam was the legendary and last king of Troy during the Trojan War. He was the son of Laomedon. The many children of Priam, included notable characters such as Hector, Paris, and Cassandra.
Initially Priam was named Podarces, and his change of name has to do with the actions of the Greek hero Heracles and Priam’s father, Laomedon.
Heracles came to Troy when the city was under attack by disease and a sea monster, the attacks being the retribution of Poseidon and Apollo, after Laomedon had refused to pay them for work done. Heracles promised Laomedon to free Troy from the attacks, if the king would promise to give him the swift horses of Troy in payment.
Laomedon agreed to the deal and on the beach outside of Troy, Heracles slew the sea monster after three days of fighting. With the death of the monster, the pestilence also left Troy, but when Heracles went to Laomedon to take payment, the king refused and locked the city gates against the hero.
Heracles would later return to Troy with several ships of men, including Telamon, and the hero laid siege to the city. Heracles would eventually enter the city, and the Greek hero killed Laomedon. The sons of the king were also killed by Heracles, until only the youngest, Podarces was left alive. He too would have died at the hands of Heracles, but Hesione, the sister of Podarces, stayed the hand of Heracles, by offering up a ransom for her brother; the ransom taking the form of a golden veil. Podarces would then take the name Priam, meaning “ransomed”.
Having had his life spared, Priam then found himself elevated to king status, for Heracles put the Trojan prince upon the throne, making him ruler of Troy.
Troy would prosper under the leadership of Priam, the city’s walls were rebuilt, and the military strength of Troy would grow. Priam was even said to have led the forces of Troy when allied with the Phrygians in a war against the Amazons. As money flowed into Troy, through trade, so Priam built himself a magnificent palace; A palace built from brilliant white marble, comprising many hundreds of different rooms.
Priam is killed during the sack of Troy, by Achilles’ son Neoptolemus. In Virgil’s description, Neoptolemus first kills Priam’s son Polites in front of his father as he seeks sanctuary on the altar of Zeus. Priam rebukes Neoptolemus, throwing a spear at him, harmlessly hitting his shield. Priam is then dragged by Neoptolemus to the altar and there kills him. Priam’s death is alternatively depicted on some Greek vases where Neoptolemus clubs Priam to death with the corpse of the latter’s baby grandson, Astyanax.