Laomedon

Overview

Laomedon is the king of Troy before Priam and a central figure in the city's earlier conflicts with the gods and with Heracles. His broken promises help lead to an earlier sack of Troy before the famous Trojan War.

Generation

Heroic Age

Symbols

Walls of Troy, sea monster, divine punishment

Notes

Laomedon is one of the most important figures in the mythology of Troy before the Trojan War. He is a descendant of Ilus and the father of Priam in the familiar royal genealogy.

His reign is closely associated with the construction of Troy's great walls. In an important tradition, Poseidon and Apollo serve Laomedon and help build or strengthen the city's defences.

Laomedon later refuses to give the gods the payment that had been agreed. His broken promise brings divine anger against Troy.

Another major episode concerns his daughter Hesione. A sea monster threatens Troy, and Heracles becomes involved in rescuing her.

Laomedon promises Heracles a reward for saving Hesione but again refuses to honour the agreement. The refusal creates another enemy.

Heracles eventually attacks and sacks Troy. This is an earlier destruction of the city and should not be confused with the much later Trojan War fought by Agamemnon, Achilles and Odysseus.

Priam survives this earlier catastrophe and later becomes king. The famous Trojan War therefore takes place in a city whose mythology already includes divine anger, broken promises and an earlier sack during Laomedon's reign.

Laomedon is important because he forms the bridge between the legendary foundation of Troy and the generation of Priam. His actions establish conflicts that make early Trojan mythology far more than a simple prelude to Helen and Paris.