Who was the first Greek hero to die at Troy?

Who was the first Greek hero to die at Troy? Protesilaus was traditionally the first Greek hero to die at Troy. An oracle warned that the first Achaean to step onto Trojan soil would be the first to die, so the Greek army hesitated when its fleet reached the coast.

Protesilaus, leader of the Phylaceans, finally leapt ashore. He killed several Trojans before being slain, usually by Hector in the best-known version. Other later traditions name Aeneas, Euphorbus, or another Trojan as his killer, but they preserve his identity as the first Greek casualty.

His death shaped the hero’s name: Greek sources connect Protesilaus with protos, meaning “first.” His brother Podarces took command of his troops after his death. The mourning of his wife, Laodamia, became one of the most poignant stories associated with the Trojan War; in some versions, the gods briefly allowed Protesilaus to return from the underworld.

Protesilaus was also worshipped as a hero. Shrines at Phylace and Elaeus, across the Hellespont from Troy, kept his memory alive for centuries.