Memnon (died 1183 BC) was the King of Aethiopia during the 12th century BC. Renowned for his martial prowess, which was compared to that of the Greek warrior Achilles, he was slain by Achilles during the Trojan War.
Biography[]
Memnon was the son of the Trojan prince Tithonus and - according to Greek mythology - the Greek goddess of the dawn, Eos, who snatched Tithonus away from Troy and took him to the ends of the earth on the coast of Oceanus (East Africa). Eos bore to Tithonus the bronze-armed king Memnon, the brother of Emathion and the half-brother of Astraeus. Memnon was said to have been raised by nymphs, and he became King of Aethiopia as a vassal of the Pharaohs of Egypt. In 1203 BC, Pharaoh Merneptah gave Memnon his blessing to lead an expedition to support Troy against Greek invasion during the Trojan War, with Pharaoh providing Memnon with soldiers from Sais and Nubia at his own expense; Memnon's expedition was later joined by troops from Susa, Canaan, and the Sherden. Memnon wrought havoc in the Aegean, including the islands of Rhodes and Crete, but his delayed arrival at Troy in 1184 BC caused a debate among the Trojan leaders as to whether or not Memnon would show up at all. However, the arrival of Memnon's massive army led to an overjoyed King Priam hosting a festival in his honor; Priam declared that Memnon would deliver Troy, but Memnon remained humble and warned that it would be unwise to boast at dinner, before battle came. The next day, Memnon avenged the death of his comrade Aesop by slaying Nestor's son Antilochus. However, Memnon refused to fight the old Nestor himself due to his strong set of warrior values. Nestor persuaded Achilles to fight in his stead, and both Achilles and Memnon fought while wearing divine armor made by Hephaestus. While Memnon drew blood from Achilles, Achilles drove his spear through Memnon's chest, killing him. The Aethiopian army was sent running, and Eos mourned the death of her son. His army scattered and fled back to Aethiopia on his death.
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