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
Epic Cycle ἀμφίεπον τάφον Ἕκτορος ἱπποδάμοιο. In this way they performed the funeral of Hector, tamer of horses. an alternative reading is preserved which is designed to lead directly into the "Aethiopis": ὣς οἵ γ' ἀμφίεπον τάφον Ἕκτορος· ἦλθε δ' Ἀμαζών, Ἄρηος θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος ἀνδροφόνοιο. In this way they performed the funeral of Hector; then the Amazon Penthesileia came, daughter of great-hearted man-slaughtering Ares. ... There are contradictions between epics in the Cycle. For example, the Greek warrior who killed Hector's son Astyanax in the fall of Troy is Neoptolemus according to the "Little Iliad"; according to the "Iliou persis", it is