Statue of Youthful Heracles

myminifactory

Heracles, born Alcaeus or Alcides, emerges as a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, fostered by Amphitryon and boasting a lineage that makes him great-grandson and half-brother to Perseus, both sired by the mighty god Zeus. He stands out as the greatest of the Greek heroes, embodying masculinity at its finest, an ancestor to royal clans who proudly claim Heracleidae heritage, and a steadfast champion of the Olympian order against chthonic monsters that threaten their world. In Rome and the modern West, he is known as Hercules, a name often claimed by later Roman emperors, particularly Commodus and Maximian, who saw themselves in his likeness. The Romans adopted the Greek narrative surrounding Heracles' life with minimal alterations, but added their own anecdotes, weaving together a rich tapestry that links the hero to the Central Mediterranean landscape. His cult is adapted to Rome as well, with its details merged seamlessly into the existing Roman mythology.