Warrior-Diomedes

I maintain records on my trackables. They have the goal to circulate more than five years and to be moved by at least 25 cachers. That is a target rate of five drops per year for five years, or a drop every 73 days. The average drop rate of my trackables in the US is 124 days, in Europe it is 71 days. As of 16-Aug-25 this trackable had survived for 2.2 years and had been moved by 11 cachers, for an average drop every 73 days, or 5.0 drops per year. Please keep it moving, then drop it in a safe place!

No permission is needed to leave the U.S. While in the U.S., please drop it at an event, in a Premium Member only OR a rural cache near a busy trail or road. Do not place it in an urban, non-premium cache. Transport the bug in the original plastic bag for as long as the bag lasts; the bag keeps the trackable clean and dry, protects the number and prevents tangling with other items. Otherwise, take the trackable anywhere you wish.

I am always watching for things to convert to travel bugs. This item displays the headgear of a Greek warrior. The ancient Greek historians collected and different accounts from different sources, mostly oral tales. They compiled them into detailed narratives, sometimes in poetic form. Clearly in the retellings, some of the stories reached outrageous proportions. Each trackable in this series is named for a warrior named in the accounts of these writers, notably Virgil, Homer and Herodotus. Following are some brief anecdotes about the named individual.

In Homer's Iliad, Diomedes was one of the best warriors of all the Achaeans. In the account of Dares the Phrygian, he was described as ". . .stocky, brave, dignified, and austere. He was loud at the war-cry, hot-tempered, impatient, and daring." Diomedes founded ten or more Italian cities and, after his death, was worshipped as a divine being.

Although he was the youngest of the Achaean kings, Diomedes is considered the most experienced leader by many scholars largely because he had fought more battles than the others. Second only to Achilles, Diomedes is considered to be the mightiest and the most skilled warrior among the Achaeans. He and Odysseus were the only Achaean heroes who participated in covert military operations that demanded discipline, bravery, courage, cunning, and resourcefulness.

He was overwhelming Ajax in an armed sparring contest when the watching Achaeans bade the men to stop and take equal prizes because they feared for Ajax's life. Ajax gave Diomedes the prize (a long sword) because Diomedes drew the first blood.