Who is Dares Phrygius according to Homer's Iliad?
Homer mentions a Trojan priest named Dares Phrygius in the fifth book of his Iliad. The text lists him among warriors killed during the conflict at Troy.
Questions about Dares Phrygius
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Latin manuscript De excidio Troiae historia written?
Linguistic analysis suggests the language fits the 5th century AD rather than the time of Nepos. No historical record confirms he actually wrote such a work.
How many Greeks and Trojans died according to Dares Phrygius claims?
Dares Phrygius claims that 866,000 Greeks died while 676,000 Trojans perished in the war. These massive casualty figures appear nowhere in modern archaeological findings at the site of Troy.
Why did Merovingian Gaul rework Dares' history into Historia de origine Francorum?
Merovingian Gaul saw the complete reworking of Dares' history into the Historia de origine Francorum during the 8th century. This new text claimed the Franks descended directly from the Trojan people to establish royal legitimacy for Germanic tribes ruling Europe.
What is the Norse version of Dares called in Trójumanna saga?
The saga refers to Dares as Meistari Dares throughout its unique narrative structure. It identifies Roman gods like Saturnus and Jupiter with Norse figures such as Frey and Thor.