A large island in the northern Aigean Sea.
Situated west of Troy, Lemnos served as a convenient trading center for the Achaians during the Trojan War. They purchased wine and other commodities from King Euneos, paying with bronze, livestock, and captured Trojans. The throne of Lemnos passed from Thoas to his daughter Hypsipyle, and then to Euneos, the son of Hypsipyle and Ieson.1
The god Hephaistos, after being thrown from Mount Olympos, landed on Lemnos. The goddesses Thetis and Eurynome rescued Hephaistos and the Sinties of Lemnos cared for him.
Bitten by a water snake on Lemnos, the Achaian commander Philoktetes could not complete the journey to Troy. His comrades left him on the island and went on to Troy with Medon, son of Oileus, as their new commander.
1. Ieson (Jason)—leader of the Argonauts.
| References: Homer, Iliad book 1, line 593; book 2, line 722; book 7, line 467; book 8, line 230; book 14, lines 230, 281; book 21, lines 40, 46, 58, 79; book 24, line 753 |