Culture & Lifestyle • Mythology

Achilles

Achilles is a hero of Greek mythology and a central figure in the Trojan War.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Achilles is a hero of Greek mythology and a central figure in the Trojan War. He is the son of Peleus and Thetis, and ancient sources portray him as the greatest warrior of the Greek forces. Later myth associated him with the phrase “Achilles’ heel,” referring to a single point of vulnerability.

Mythological background

Achilles is one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology, especially through Homer’s Iliad. He is usually identified as the son of Peleus and Thetis and as the leading Greek warrior at Troy.

Role in the Trojan War

The myth of Achilles focuses on his battlefield skill, his conflict with Agamemnon, his grief for Patroclus, and his killing of Hector. His actions strongly influence the outcome of the Greek campaign.

Death and vulnerability

Later traditions explain Achilles’ near-invulnerability through the River Styx story, with his heel left exposed. In the best-known version, Paris kills him with an arrow, sometimes with Apollo’s help, striking that vulnerable heel.

Cultural legacy

Achilles became a lasting symbol of heroic strength mixed with fatal vulnerability. The expression “Achilles’ heel” remains widely used for a decisive weakness in an otherwise strong person or thing.

Key facts

Achilles is a mythological Greek hero best known from the Trojan War tradition.
He is described as the son of the mortal Peleus and the sea nymph Thetis.
In the Iliad tradition, he is a dominant warrior whose rage and withdrawal from battle shape much of the war’s course.
Later legends say Thetis tried to make him invulnerable by dipping him in the River Styx, leaving only his heel vulnerable.
The phrase “Achilles’ heel” comes from the myth and means a critical weakness.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Achilles?

Achilles is a hero from Greek mythology, best known as the greatest warrior of the Greek forces in the Trojan War.

What is the story of Achilles?

He is a central figure in the Trojan War cycle, famed for his strength, his conflict with Greek leaders, his friendship with Patroclus, and his killing of Hector before his own death.

How did Achilles die?

The best-known version says Paris shot Achilles with an arrow, sometimes said to have been guided by Apollo, and the wound struck his heel.

What is Achilles heel?

“Achilles’ heel” is a phrase from the myth meaning a critical weakness. In the story, it is the only part of Achilles left vulnerable after his mother tried to make him invulnerable.

Who killed Achilles?

In the most common version, Achilles was killed by Paris, the Trojan prince. Some traditions say Apollo helped guide the fatal arrow.

References

Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Achilles-Greek-mythology
Supports: Achilles as a leading Greek warrior, son of Peleus and Thetis, and the common account of his death by Paris' arrow.
British Museum — https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/who-was-achilles
Supports: The River Styx story, the vulnerable heel, the phrase 'Achilles heel,' and Paris as the killer in most versions.
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achilles
Supports: Later legend of invulnerability, the heel vulnerability, and the claim that Paris and Apollo kill Achilles at the Scaean Gates.
PubMed Central — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1888379/
Supports: The Styx narrative, the heel vulnerability, and the account of Paris, guided by Apollo, fatally striking Achilles.
GreekMythology.com — https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Achilles/achilles.html
Supports: Summary of Achilles as a heroic figure, the Styx myth, and the phrase 'Achilles' heel'.