Dardanians (Trojan)

The Dardanians were an ancient people who inhabited the Troad, the region around Mount Ida in northwestern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). They are closely associated with the Trojans, and in Homer's Iliad, the terms "Dardanians" and "Trojans" are sometimes used interchangeably, although at other times they appear to represent distinct, but allied, groups within the broader Trojan population.

According to the Iliad, the Dardanians traced their lineage back to Dardanus, a son of Zeus, making them a royal line within Troy. Aeneas, the Trojan hero of Virgil's Aeneid, also claimed descent from Dardanus. In some accounts, Dardanus migrated from Italy or Samothrace to the Troad and founded the city of Dardania.

Priam, the king of Troy during the Trojan War, is often referred to as the leader of both the Trojans and the Dardanians. While some scholars believe the Dardanians were a separate tribe or clan within Troy, others argue they were simply an alternate name for the Trojans, perhaps referring to a specific region or lineage within the city. The exact relationship between the Dardanians and the Trojans remains a subject of scholarly debate.

The Dardanians played a significant role in the defense of Troy against the Achaean (Greek) forces during the Trojan War. Their warriors fought alongside the Trojans, contributing to the prolonged siege of the city. Figures like Aeneas, often associated with the Dardanians, became prominent figures in post-Homeric narratives about the aftermath of the Trojan War, with Aeneas leading a group of survivors to Italy and founding a lineage that would eventually lead to the establishment of Rome.

The name "Dardanelles," the narrow strait separating Europe and Asia Minor near the site of ancient Troy, is derived from the name of the Dardanians.