Priam first kills Priam's son Polites in front of his father as he seeks sanctuary on the altar of Zeus. Priam rebukes Neoptolemus, throwing a spear at him, harmlessly hitting his shield. Neoptolemus then drags Priam to the altar and there kills him too. It has been suggested by Hittite sources, specifically the Manapa-Tarhunta letter, that there is historical basis for the archetype of King Priam. The letter describes one Piyama-Radu as a troublesome rebel who overthrew a Hittite client king and thereafter established his own rule over the city of Troy (mentioned as Wilusa in Hittite). There is also mention
Troy series: Characters Troy series: Characters The Troy trilogy by David Gemmell is a fantasy series based on the Trojan War. Its many characters are mixed: some are based on original characters from that legend, whereas others were invented by the author. Helikaon is arguably the main character in the trilogy. He is based on Aeneas. According to tradition (mainly the Iliad and the Aeneid), Aeneas was the son of Aphrodite and as king of Dardania, was one of Troy's leading allies. He survived the city's fall and escaped to Italy, where he founded the race that would later become the Roman people.