Who is the father of Achilles?

Peleus is the father of Achilles in Greek mythology. He was a mortal hero and king of Phthia, while Achilles' mother was Thetis, a Nereid associated with the sea. Their son therefore combined divine ancestry through his mother with mortal royal lineage through his father.

Peleus was himself the son of Aeacus, king of Aegina, and the brother of Telamon, the father of the Greek hero Ajax. He was also counted among the Argonauts, the heroes who sailed with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece. His marriage to Thetis was celebrated at a divine wedding attended by the gods; the goddess Eris' uninvited arrival helped trigger the dispute that led to the Judgment of Paris and, eventually, the Trojan War.

Peleus entrusted the young Achilles to the centaur Chiron, who raised and educated him on Mount Pelion. Achilles is sometimes called Pelides, meaning “son of Peleus.” A common mix-up comes from Zeus: he and Poseidon desired Thetis, but neither became Achilles' father.