ACAMUS SON OF ANTENOR IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
During the Trojan War there were three men named Acamas who appeared in the various sources, with two Trojan defenders and one Achaean attacker so named. One of the two men named Acamas who defended Troy, was the son of Antenor.
Acamas Son of Antenor
Acamas was the son of Antenor and Theano; Antenor was a Trojan elder who offered a friendly welcome to Odysseus and Menelaus before the war commended, whilst Theano was the daughter of the Thracian king, Cisseus.
Acamas had a long list of siblings, including the likes of Helicaon and Laodocus, although arguably his most famous sibling was Archelochus. |
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Acamas at War
Acamas of course comes to fore during the Trojan War, for although Antenor was opposed to the war, his children were sent off to defend Troy against the Achaean attackers.
Acamas was named as a Trojan leader, alongside Archelochus, for both sons of Antenor were lieutenants in the force of Dardanian defenders, led by their cousin, Aeneas.
Homer describes Acamas as being “skilled in all the arts of war”, skills which were aptly displayed when the Achaean defensive wall was attacked.
Later, Archelochus would be killed by Ajax the Great, with a spear through the neck. Arcamas would ensure that his brother’s body would not be taken by the Achaeans, nor left on the battlefield, and in doing so, he killed Promachus with his spear.
Acamas’ death though was soon at hand, although there are two differing versions of his death. In the Iliad, Acamas is said to have been killed by Meriones’ spear, although it is not specifically said that Meriones killed Antenor’s son, and as previously mentioned there were others called Acamas.
Qunius of Smyrna specifically tells of the death of Acamas, Antenor’s son, for Acamas was killed, according to him, by the bow and arrow of Philoctetes.
Acamas was named as a Trojan leader, alongside Archelochus, for both sons of Antenor were lieutenants in the force of Dardanian defenders, led by their cousin, Aeneas.
Homer describes Acamas as being “skilled in all the arts of war”, skills which were aptly displayed when the Achaean defensive wall was attacked.
Later, Archelochus would be killed by Ajax the Great, with a spear through the neck. Arcamas would ensure that his brother’s body would not be taken by the Achaeans, nor left on the battlefield, and in doing so, he killed Promachus with his spear.
Acamas’ death though was soon at hand, although there are two differing versions of his death. In the Iliad, Acamas is said to have been killed by Meriones’ spear, although it is not specifically said that Meriones killed Antenor’s son, and as previously mentioned there were others called Acamas.
Qunius of Smyrna specifically tells of the death of Acamas, Antenor’s son, for Acamas was killed, according to him, by the bow and arrow of Philoctetes.
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Colin Quartermain - Acamas Son of Antenor - 24th May 2022