Torso of Herakles

myminifactory

This is a majestic sculpture portraying Heracles, born Alcaeus, an illustrious hero in ancient Greek mythology, the offspring of Zeus and Alcmene, fostered by Amphitryon He was a direct descendant and half-brother (as they shared a common father, Zeus) of Perseus. As the greatest of the Greek heroes, he epitomized masculinity, serving as an ancestor to noble clans who claimed Heracleidae heritage, and a fearless champion of the Olympian order against chthonic monsters that threatened the land. In Rome and modern Western societies, he is revered as Hercules, a hero with whom later Roman emperors, particularly Commodus and Maximian, often sought to identify themselves. The Romans adopted the Greek narrative of his life and deeds almost intact, but embellished it with their own anecdotal tales, some of which linked him to the geography of the Central Mediterranean region. Details of his cult were skillfully adapted to suit Roman tastes as well.