In the Trojan War legend, Odysseus and Diomedes stole the Palladium from Troy. The Palladium was a sacred wooden image associated with Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare.
According to later Greek and Roman traditions, Troy could not be conquered while the Palladium remained inside the city. This made stealing it a crucial part of the Greek strategy before Troy’s final fall. Odysseus and Diomedes were traditionally credited with carrying out the nighttime mission.
The story belongs mainly to the wider Trojan War tradition rather than to Homer’s Iliad, which ends before Troy is captured. Later authors supplied many details about the Palladium and its removal. Some versions say the image was kept in a temple and guarded carefully.
The Palladium is often confused with other famous objects from Greek mythology, especially the Golden Fleece and the Apple of Discord. Unlike those objects, it was a protective statue whose presence was believed to safeguard Troy.