Ilus

Overview

Ilus is an early king of Troy and descendant of Tros, traditionally associated with the foundation or establishment of Ilios, the city later known as Troy.

Generation

Heroic Age

Symbols

Ilium, Troy, Trojan royal house

Notes

Ilus belongs to the generations between Tros and Laomedon and is closely associated with the establishment of the city of Ilios, another ancient name for Troy.

Greek traditions connect the name Ilios or Ilium with Ilus. This makes him an important figure in the mythological explanation of the city's identity.

In later accounts, Ilus receives a divine sign connected with the Palladium, the sacred image associated with Athena and the protection of Troy.

The Palladium becomes important far beyond Ilus' own generation. Later Trojan War traditions treat the sacred object as one of the protections that must be removed or overcome before Troy can finally fall.

Ilus therefore connects two different kinds of Trojan mythology: the founding history of the city and the sacred protections that become important during the Trojan War.

His descendants include Laomedon and Priam, placing him directly within the royal genealogy that leads to the best-known generation of Trojan myth.