The defense of Troy was led by the Trojan army throughout the duration of their ten-year war with Greece.

During the war, the ruler of Troy was King Priam. That made Priam the de facto leader of the Trojan army.

Priam was old but brave. When Hector—Priam’s oldest and perhaps favorite son—was brutally killed by Achilles, Priam boldly ventured into the enemy camp to try and obtain his son’s corpse. Priam’s words were persuasive. The body was returned to Priam, and a temporary truce was agreed upon so that Priam could hold a peaceful funeral.

I should probably tell you more about Hector. Hector is generally thought of as the best Trojan warrior and thus as Troy’s primary defender. It’s rumored that Hector killed thousands of Greek soldiers. Alas, there was one warrior that Hector did not kill. Of course, like I already told you, that warrior was Achilles.

Another defender of Troy was Paris. Paris was also one of Priam’s sons. Depending on who you ask, Paris either kidnapped or seduced—or a little bit of both—Helen of Sparta. Sparta was an ancient city in Greece. Paris’s kidnapping/seduction of Helen is generally considered to be the main reason for the Trojan War.

I called Paris a defender of Troy. Yet unlike his brother Hector, Paris was not such a skilled warrior. He’s generally believed to have conducted himself in a cowardly manner throughout the war.

Another amendment: I told you Troy was defended by the Trojan army. That’s still true. However, I shouldn’t omit the role that the gods played. It’s been alleged that the walls of Troy were built by Poseidon and Apollo. These superhuman structures also helped defend Troy. They made it almost impossible for Greek warriors to infiltrate the city.