Heracles

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Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Farnese Hercules

relief depicting the Labours of Hercules

Heracles fighting the Amazons

Cancer: The zodiac sign explained

Heracles breaking the horns of the hind of Arcadia

Antoine Bourdelle: Herakles

Attic red-figure kylix by Epictetus showing Heracles slaying Busiris, c. 520 bc; in the British Museum, London.

Heracles battling the Lernaean Hydra

Discover

African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

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Paul Revere. "The bloody massacre perpetrated in King Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.," engraved by Paul Revere. Boston Massacre.

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NBA Lakers Celtics Finals Kevin Garnett shooting.

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Artist interpretation of space asteroids impacting earth and moon. Meteoroids, meteor impact, end of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Doomsday Predictions, comet

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Lake Mead (the impounded Colorado River) at the Hoover Dam. The light-coloured band of rock above the shoreline shows the decrease in water level in the first few years of the 21st century.

6 Lakes That Are Drying Up

An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Heracles: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2025

News •

This painting survived the Beirut explosion. Here’s how conservators restored it • June 12, 2025, 6:10 AM ET (CNN)

Rare Roman sarcophagus depicting Dionysus and Hercules found in Caesarea • June 9, 2025, 4:06 AM ET (Jerusalem Post)

Photos and Videos

Farnese Hercules

relief depicting the Labours of Hercules

Heracles fighting the Amazons

Heracles breaking the horns of the hind of Arcadia

Antoine Bourdelle: Herakles

Attic red-figure kylix by Epictetus showing Heracles slaying Busiris, c. 520 bc; in the British Museum, London.

Heracles battling the Lernaean Hydra

Antonio Pollaiuolo: Hercules and Antaeus

Cancer: The zodiac sign explained

View the animation to know the representation of the Greek hero Heracles (or Hercules) in films and television

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Topics

Isis Zeus Athena Apollo Horus Aphrodite Prometheus Odin Re Dionysus

Quiz

Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece.

From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology

Hades. Persephone. Hades (aka Pluto or Pluton)& Persephone enthroned. God&Goddess of underworld sit. 3 headed dog Cerberus at feet. Females on harp and rebec (L)men on harps or tortured. Les Echecs amoureux, Manuscript produced 4 Louise de Savoy,15th c.

Ancient Greek Underworld Quiz

mythology. Greek. Hermes. (Roman Mercury)

Ancient Greek Gods and Demigods Quiz