Humanities › History & Culture Who Is Who in Greek Legend A Who's Who List of Greek Heroes from Greek Legend Share Flipboard Email Print History & Culture Ancient History and Culture Mythology & Religion Figures & Events Ancient Languages Greece Egypt Asia Rome American History African American History African History Asian History European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By N.S. Gill N.S. Gill Ancient History and Latin Expert M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota B.A., Latin, University of Minnesota N.S. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on January 08, 2020 When you're reading the literature and history of Ancient Greece, there are a few names that should be as familiar to you as Shakespeare, the Bible, Kennedy, or Hitler. Below you will find a list of such major names from legend for quick reference. The first alphabetical group consists of heroes from before the Trojan War; then come Trojan War names beginning with Achilles. After the Trojan War heroes come to the legendary non-humans. Atalanta PD Courtesy of Bibi Saint-Pol at Wikipedia. A rare item in Greek mythology - a woman hero. Atalanta was the lone woman on the quest for the Golden Fleece and the Calydonian Boar Hunt. Bellerophon C.C. Marsyas Wikipedia. Bellerophon was a Greek hero who rode on the winged horse Pegasus; killed the Chimera monster, and tried to fly Pegasus to Olympus. Cadmus CC Flickr User takomabibelot Cadmus was sent on a vain quest to find his sister Europa. He settled in Boeotia and founded the city of Thebes, instead. Hercules CC Flickr User infollatus Hercules or Heracles (Herakles) was a strong man and son of Zeus, who performed 12 labors; his nemesis was Hera. Jason © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons Jason was the Argonaut leader who captured the golden fleece and married the witch Medea. Perseus Public Domain. Courtesy of Bibi Saint-Pol at Wikipedia. Perseus was the Greek hero who decapitated Medusa; founded Mycenae. His biological father was Zeus who impregnated Perseus' mother Danae in a shower of gold. Theseus Courtesy of Wikimedia Theseus was the Athenian hero who volunteered to be one of the victims of the Minotaur. With the help of one of the Minotaur's half-sisters, Theseus put an end to the Minotaur and found his way out of the labyrinth, built by Daedalus (of wax-wings fame), in which the Minotaur had been hidden. Theseus reorganized the country of Attica. Achilles PD Bibi Saint-Pol. Courtesy of Wikipedia. Achilles is the quintessential Greek hero. During the Trojan War, Achilles was the Greek's best warrior; his nymph mother held him by his heel when she dipped him in the River Styx making him immortal everywhere but there. Agamemnon CC Flickr User virtusincertus Agamemnon was a Mycenean king, the brother-in-law of the infamous Helen, and the leader of all the Greek forces who went to Troy (to fight the Trojan War) for the purpose of recovering Helen for her Greek husband, Menelaus. Ajax Clipart.com During the Trojan War, Ajax was the second-best Greek warrior. When he was denied the honor of the armor of the dead Achilles, he tried to kill the Greek leaders but was driven mad, instead. Hector Clipart.com Hector was a son of King Priam of Troy and the best warrior of the Trojans in the Trojan War. He killed Patroclus and was killed by Achilles. Helen of Troy and Menelaus Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons. Helen of Troy known as the face that launched a thousand ships for starting the Trojan War. Helen was married to King Menelaus of Sparta when Paris took her. Homer Clipart.com The blind bard believed to have written at least one if not both of the Iliad and Odyssey. Iliad Set in the tenth year of the Trojan war the Iliad tells the story of Achilles' wrath. It ends with Achilles returning Hector's body. Odysseus Clipart.com Odysseus was the cunning Greek who devised the Trojan Horse; subject of the Odyssey. Odyssey Odyssey The 10-year return voyage taken by Odysseus from the Trojan War to Ithaca. Paris Paris (aka Alexander) was a Trojan prince who took Helen from Menelaus. Patroclus Clipart.com Patroclus was responsible for Achilles' rejoining the battle of the Trojan War, at first by proxy and then for revenge. While Achilles was still refusing to fight for the Greeks, he let his friend Patroclus wear his armor and lead his troops. The Trojans, who thought Patroclus was Achilles, killed him. To avenge the death of Patroclus, Achilles rejoined the battle. Trojan Horse Clipart.com The Trojan Horse was a device conjured by Odysseus to get the Greek troops inside the Trojan Walls. The Trojans took the horse as a gift not knowing it was filled with warriors. After the Trojans welcomed the gift into their city, they celebrated what they thought was the departure of the Greeks, but while they slept, the Greeks poured forth from the horse's belly and destroyed Troy. Chiron Centaur. Clipart.com Chiron or Cheiron was the kindly centaur who tutored heroes. Hercules accidentally killed him. Pegasus Clipart.com Pegasus is the winged flying horse that sprang from the neck of the Gorgon Medusa Medusa Clipart.com Medusa was a dreaded monster with snaky locks the sight of which turned men to stone Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Gill, N.S. "Who Is Who in Greek Legend." ThoughtCo, Feb. 22, 2021, thoughtco.com/who-is-who-in-greek-legend-118993. Gill, N.S. (2021, February 22). Who Is Who in Greek Legend. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/who-is-who-in-greek-legend-118993 Gill, N.S. "Who Is Who in Greek Legend." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/who-is-who-in-greek-legend-118993 (accessed March 23, 2023). copy citation