Machaon (physician)

In Greek mythology, Machaon (Μαχάων, gen.: Μαχάωνος) was a son of Asclepius. With Podalirius, his brother, he led an army from Thessaly (or possibly Messenia) in the Trojan War on the side of the Greeks. He, along with his brother, were highly valued surgeons and medics. In the Iliad he was wounded and put out of action by Paris. Machaon (or his brother) healed Philoctetes and Telephus during the war. He was killed by Eurypylus in the tenth year of the war. He was buried in Gerenia in Messenia, where he was worshiped by the people.^[1]

Eponymy

The Latin name of a butterfly, the Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), is derived from Machaon.

Machaonia, a plant genus in Rubiaceae was named for Machaon.

A Jovian trojan asteroid No. 3063 Makhaon is named after him.^[2]

References

^ Homer (ca. 1194–1184 BC) Iliad
^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003) Dictionary of minor planet names, Springer - p.252

Characters in the Iliad

Achaeans	Acamas Achilles Adrastus Agamemnon Agapenor Ajax the Greater Ajax the Lesser Alcimus Amphion the Epean Anticlus Antilochus Arcesilaus Ascalaphus Automedon Balius and Xanthus Bias Calchas Diomedes Elephenor Epeius Eudoros Euneus Euryalus Eurybates Eurylochus Hecamede Helen Ialmenus Idomeneus Leitus Leonteus Machaon Mecisteus Medon Meges Menelaus Menestheus Meriones Neoptolemus Nestor Nireus Odysseus Palamedes Patroclus Peneleus Philoctetes Phoenix Podalirius Podarces Polites Polypoetes Promachus Protesilaus Prothoenor Schedius Stentor Sthenelus Talthybius Teucer Thersites Thoas Thrasymedes Tlepolemus

Trojans	Aeneas Aesepus Agenor Alcathous Amphimachus Anchises Andromache Antenor Antiphates Antiphus Archelochus Asius Asteropaios Astyanax Axylus Briseis Calesius Caletor Cassandra Chryseis Chryses Clytius Cycnus Dares Phrygius Deiphobus Dolon Epistrophus Eteoneus Euphemus Euphorbus Eurypylus Glaucus Gorgythion Halizones Hector Hecuba Helenus Hyperenor Ilioneus Imbrius Kebriones Laocoön Lycaon Lykomedes Melanippus Mentes Mydon Mygdon of Phrygia Othryoneus Pandarus Panthous Paris Pedasus Peirous Phorcys Polites Polydamas Polybus Polydorus Priam Pylaemenes Pyraechmes Rhesus of Thrace Sarpedon Tenes Theano Ucalegon