Tros

Tros is the eponymous founder of Troy (also known as Ilios or Ilion) and a pivotal figure in the Trojan War's proto-history. His story connects several major mythological narratives, including those of his descendants and the famed city's eventual fate. He was the son of Erichthonius, one of the richest men of his time due to the wealth of his land and the size of his herds, and grandson of Dardanus, who was a son of Zeus and Electra, and the founder of the royal dynasty of the city-state.

Tros is credited with the founding of the city; the region around it is often referred to as the Troad (after Tros himself). It became known for its wealth, power, and the eventual ten-year siege it endured during the Trojan War. He had three sons: Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymede. Ilus would go on to be the father of Laomedon, and the grandfather of Priam, the last king of Troy during the Trojan War. Assaracus was the ancestor of Aeneas, a hero who, according to Virgil's Aeneid, escaped the fall of Troy and traveled to Italy, where he became the progenitor of the Romans.

Ganymede was said to be the most beautiful of mortals and was abducted by Zeus in the form of an eagle to become the cupbearer of the gods, a position of great honor.