Hercules — Greek Heroes in Mythology

Heracles – or Hercules as he has been more popularly known ever since the Roman times – was the greatest of all Greek heroes

Hercules Origins
Heracles was the product of a union of a mortal woman (Alcmene) and a god (Zeus). In Heracles’ case, even his mother was of a noteworthy parentage: Alcmene was the granddaughter of Perseus, possibly Greece’s greatest hero before Heracles.

Hercules Mentors
Hercules had a number of mentors. His father Amphitryon taught him to drive a chariot; Autolycus, Odysseus’ grandfather, tutored him in wrestling; Eurytus, the king of Oechalia, instructed Heracles in archery; Castor, the mortal Dioscuri twin, trained Heracles in fencing and Harpalycus of Phanotè, a fearsome son of Hermes, in boxing. Hercules education was entrusted to the best of the best; even as a child, Heracles outdid them all.

Hercules Early Adventures
Heracles’ adventures started in the eighteenth year of his life when he killed the Lion of Cithaeron; an exceptional specimen of manhood and virility, by the time he was nineteen, he had already fathered more than fifty children and bested a whole army!

The Twelve Labors of Hercules
Heracles is most famous for a cycle of twelve labors he did.