Iphigenia is not a name most people will recognise, even if they are told that it comes from Greek mythology. Even when informed that she was the grand-daughter of Leda, and niece of Helen of Troy, there is still unlikely to be many who know of her. This is hardly surprising as Iphigenia is most closely linked to events surrounding the Trojan War and subsequent events, although her role was not one of her own choosing.

Iphigenia was one of three daughters of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae, and his wife Clytemnestra. Agamemnon was put in charge of the Greek forces that were to set sail for Troy in order that his brother’s (Menelaus) wife, Helen, could be rescued. The Greek forces were in trouble before they had even set sail, as although Achilles had been convinced to join their cause, the wind would not fill their sails.

The lack of wind was put down to the fact that the goddess Artemis had been angered by one of the Greek party, perhaps even Agamemnon, who had suggested that they were a better hunter than the huntress goddess. Thus the whole Greek fleet was becalmed off of Aulis.

It was Calchas, the renowned soothsayer, who came up with the method by which the goddess could be placated. This meant that Agamemnon would have to sacrifice his most beautiful daughter to the goddess, this daughter being Iphigenia.

Clytemnestra would of course be unwilling to give up her daughter for sacrifice, even if her husband was, and so instead a story was told of how Iphigenia was to be married off to Achilles. Thus it was that Odysseus and Diomedes were sent to fetch her. The sacrifice was prepared and as soon as the deed was done, the winds picked up once again.

Whether Iphigenia was actually sacrificed or not depends on the source being read, as some suggest that Artemis rescued Iphigenia, substituting a deer in her place; Iphigenia being transported to Taurus, to become a priestess to the goddess.

It is perhaps not surprising that the name of Iphigenia is not well-known as she is not named in Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey, the most famous of the ancient Greek texts. The princess does appear in other texts, and often appears in artistic works. The consequences of Iphigenia’s sacrifice are to be found in the Odyssey, as Agamemnon is murdered upon his return from Troy by his wife and/or her lover.