Aeneas appeared in an epic poem.
In Greco-Roman mythology , Aeneas ( [ ᵻˈniːəs ] Greek : Αἰνείας , Aineías , possibly derived from Greek αἰνή meaning `` praised '' ) was a Trojan hero , the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Venus ( Aphrodite ) . He is a character in Greek mythology and is mentioned in Homer 's Iliad . The Aeneid ( [ ᵻˈniːɪd ] Aeneis [ ae̯ˈneːɪs ] ) is a Latin epic poem , written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC , that tells the legendary story of Aeneas , a Trojan who travelled to Italy , where he became the ancestor of the Romans .