The Bronze Age of Ancient Greece, 1200-900 BCE, is often referred to as the Heroic Age or the Homeric Age because the literature of the times concerns itself with the larger-than-life exploits of bold-spirited and daring characters from The Illiad and The Odyssey such as Achilles, Odysseus, and Hector, to name a few. The term hero in classical times referred to a person great in stature or social rank who had great deeds of magnitude to his credit. It did not necessarily mean a person who was good and noble of heart. To the Greeks, a life without honor and glory was not worth living. During this time, the virtue the Greeks valued above all others was arete: courage, pride, dignity, and nobility of deed. Their motto was death before dishonor. With this idea in mind, it is easy to see why many of the characters acted as they did. They were driven by their image of self or what others may think of them. The character in The Iliad who most exemplifies the Bronze Age hero is Achilleus.
Killing as many warriors as possible, stripping their armor, and taking over great cities and their wealth, was the was an individual sought honor and glory and avoided shame in Homer's The Iliad. Individuals can claim these gifts throughout their lifetime and have it stripped away in a matter of seconds. This is the reason for all their existence. This is the climatic moment in life and how individuals gained remembrance in the afterlife. Many characters in The Iliad work hard to gain these characteristics, but not all gain this by fighting in war. Achilleus gained honor and glory by killing, but he truly gained honor and glory by preserving it in others. .
When Achilleus gives his glorious armor to Patroklos, it is assumed that he wants people to believe it to be himself fighting and not Patroklos. This shows how Achilleus wants all the honor and glory for a battle he is not even fighting. He goes so far as to pray to Zeus for his friends safety: "I myself am staying where the ships are assembled, / but I send out my companion and many Myrmidons with him / to fight.
