Aeneas

American  

[ih-nee-uhs] / ɪˈni əs /

Also Aineias

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a Trojan hero, the reputed ancestor of the Romans: protagonist of the Aeneid.

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Aeneas British  

/ ɪˈniːəs /

noun

1. classical myth a Trojan prince, the son of Anchises and Aphrodite, who escaped the sack of Troy and sailed to Italy via Carthage and Sicily. After seven years, he and his followers established themselves near the site of the future Rome

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Aeneas Cultural  

1. A famous warrior of classical mythology; a leader in the Trojan War (see also Trojan War) on the Trojan side. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas fled with his father and son and was shipwrecked at Carthage in northern Africa. There Dido, the queen of Carthage, fell in love with him and ultimately committed suicide when she realized that Aeneas could not stay with her forever. After many trials, Aeneas arrived in what is now Italy. The ancient Romans believed that they were descended from the followers of Aeneas.

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Because he carried his elderly father out of the ruined Troy on his back, Aeneas represents filial devotion and duty.

Aeneas is the hero of the Aeneid of Virgil.

The doomed love of Aeneas and Dido has been a source for artistic creation since ancient times.

Example Sentences

The story of the first Carthaginian queen, Dido, was co-opted by the Roman poet Virgil, whose hero, Aeneas, spurns her.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

In tests of the system with 23 historians the team found that an historian working with Aeneas came up with more accurate results than either Aeneas on its own or an historian on their own.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

Viewpoint 58, Milken 37: Wesley Waddles had 27 points and Aeneas Grullon added 26 for 8-1 Viewpoint.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2024

Viewpoint 67, Moorpark 49: Aeneas Grullon had 19 points and Wesley Waddles added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Viewpoint.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2024

If Lavinia was to be won Aeneas could not count on any help from his future father-in-law.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton