Hercules

Hercules is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.

The Romans adapted the Greek hero's iconography and myths for their literature and art under the name Hercules. In later Western art and literature and in popular culture, Hercules is more commonly used than Heracles as the name of the hero. Hercules is a multifaceted figure with contradictory characteristics, which enabled later artists and writers to pick and choose how to represent him.

Mythology

In Roman mythology, Hercules was known as a strong protector of the weak, but his troubles began at birth. The goddess Juno tried to stop his birth and even sent snakes to harm him as a baby, but Hercules cleverly strangled the snakes. In another story, Hercules was left in the woods to protect him from Juno, but the goddess Minerva found him and brought him to Juno. She nursed Hercules, who accidentally bit her nipple, causing her to push him away. This act is said to have created the Milky Way in the night sky.

Hercules is remembered for his incredible strength and many adventures, becoming a famous hero in myths.

Main article: Heracles § Death

Roman era

The name Hercules came from the Etruscans, who called him Heracle or Hercle. Etruscan artists loved to show Hercules on bronze mirrors. Even though Hercules wasn’t originally part of early Italian religions, he became very popular among many Italian people, especially in southern and central Italy.

Hercules had many Roman stories, like defeating a monster named Cacus who was scaring the area around Rome. He was also linked to the Aventine Hill because of his son Aventinus. Some Roman leaders, like Mark Antony and the emperor Commodus, saw Hercules as their special protector god. Hercules was honored in many ways, including as a god who helped with children and childbirth. Roman brides would wear a special belt called the “knot of Hercules,” which was thought to be hard to untie.

Late ancient and medieval mythography

After the Roman Empire turned to Christianity, stories about Hercules were often seen as hidden meanings, or allegories. Writers thought Hercules’s journey to the underworld showed his power over bad desires. Some early Christian writers even linked Hercules to the Bible’s Samson.

During the Middle Ages, Hercules was admired as a brave and wise hero. People believed the monsters he fought stood for bad things in life. One writer said that when Hercules became a star group, or constellation, it proved that strength could help someone reach Heaven. Most of these stories were written in Latin, and the original Greek stories weren’t used much.

Main article: Hercules in ancient literature and art

Renaissance mythography

The Renaissance brought a fresh interest in Greek stories, especially about a hero known as Hercules. Writers like Natale Conti collected many tales about Hercules's adventures, focusing on his strength and bravery. People admired Hercules so much that they built temples and held special ceremonies in his honor.

In 1600, a French leader named Henry of Navarre was called the "Gallic Hercules" because people claimed his family was related to Hercules. This showed how much people respected Hercules during this time.

Worship

The Road of Hercules is a famous route across Southern Gaul that Hercules is said to have taken during one of his labors. The famous general Hannibal later followed this same path when he marched toward Italy, claiming he was following in Hercules’s footsteps.

In ancient Roman stories, Hercules appears in myths and poems. For example, in the epic poem the Aeneid, the hero Aeneas meets a man named Evander who honors Hercules with sacrifices and tells stories of Hercules’s brave deeds, like defeating a monster named Cacus.

Hercules was also honored with statues and temples. Romans built many statues of Hercules to celebrate military victories as early as 305 BCE. Artists often showed Hercules with a lion skin and a big club, his favorite weapon. Even today, Hercules inspires artists and appears in many works of art and stories.