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ILUS, King of Troy

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ILUS, King of Troy. (Ilos in Greek). [CHART A1].
Born in 1251BC, of Dardania; son of TROS, King of Dardania.

Ilus, son of Tros, founded the city of Ilion (Ilios) (Latinized as Ilium) that he called after himself. When Ilion became the chief city of the Trojan people it was also often called Troy, the name by which it is best known today.

Ilus left Dardania and went to Phrygia and took part in games held by the king. He won a victory in wrestling. As a prize, he received fifty youths and fifty maidens, and the king, obeying an oracle, gave him also a dppled cow and asked him to found a city wherever the cow should lie down. The cow rested in the hill of Ate, and in that spot Ilus built the city which he called Ilion (Ilium). Then he prayed to Zeus that a sign might be shown to him, and he saw the statue of Palladium (Athena) fallen from heaven and lying before his tent. Ilus was then blinded, for the Palladium might not be looked upon by any man. But later, when he had made offerings to the goddess, he recovered his sight. (S7,S9,S10). It is also said that it was on the spot that the Palladium fell from heaven that he built the city Ilion.

In this way, the kingdom of Dardanus and Erichthonius was divided, because while Ilus became king of Ilium (Troy), his brother Assaracus continued to be king of the Dardanians. (S7).

Troy, also known as Ilium, was a Phrgyian city on the Troad. Troy was a great city, wealthy and powerful, second to none on earth. It was situated in the plain, not far from the sea. Since it was situated near the Hellespont, it could control the route of trade between the Aegean and Black Sea, bringing enormous wealth to the city, as well as exerting influences upon its neighbours. It was the city to be destroyed by the dispute between three powerful goddesses.

The tale of Troy is told by Homer with the Iliad and the Odyssey. Homer was drawing on a vast cycle of stories about Trojan War. Some sources mentioned that Troy and Ilius were two separate places but Homer insists on using these two names for Troy.

Ilus ruled from 1326-1277. (S6).

He married Eurydice of Troy (S6).

According to some, Ilus's wife was Eurydice, and according to others Leucippe.

Died 1279.

WIFE:
Eurydice. (Eurydike-S7)
Of Troy; daughter of Adrastus.

CHILDREN of ILUS, King of Troy
  1. LAOMEDON. King of Troy. He married Strymo. He built a wall around the city of Troy for protection.
  2. Themiste. She married Capys, King of Dardania.
  3. Telecleia. She married Cisseus.
  4. Tithonus has been called son of Ilus.


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