Hecuba was queen of Troy and wife of Priam, king of the city during the Trojan War. She was the mother of many children, including Hector, Paris and Cassandra. Her tragic figure is a symbol of maternal grief and suffering caused by the war.

According to mythology, Hecuba experienced the horror of losing many of her children during the war and the destruction of Troy. Her most famous moment is when she witnessed the death of Hector at the hands of Achilles. She then became a slave to the Greeks after the fall of the city.

The story of Hecuba has inspired many tragedies, the most important being Euripides' "Hecuba". The play presents her despair and revenge, highlighting the human dimension of war and the injustice that accompanies conflict.