Heracles: Did you mean...?

Dogs in ancient Greece are regularly depicted in art, on ceramics, in literature, and other written works as loyal companions, guardians, hunters, and even as great intuitive thinkers; all of these expressing the deep admiration the Greeks...

Characteristics of Sicilian Archaic Temples The large dimensions of the components, the presence of a propteron, an adyton, and other specific elements of the plan and elevation speak for an originally very autonomous development of Sicilian...

Originality in literary compositions in the ancient world did not carry the same weight and value as it does today. In recent centuries, authors have been applauded for the creation of original works and have been derided for plagiarism or...

Possibly being overjoyed by the tales of mythical exploits of Heracles, Semiramis, the fabled queen of Assyria, Cyrus, King of Persia and so on, Alexander the Great set out from the tiny kingdom of Macedon for a daring adventure, unheard...

The Twelve Olympian Gods (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον, Dodekatheon) represent the core pantheon of ancient Greek religion, embodying divine authority over the natural world, human affairs, and cosmic order. Traditionally worshipped as the gods of Mount...

Mosaic panel depicting the madness of Heracles (Hercules furens), from the Villa Torre de Palma near Monforte, 3rd-4th century CE (National Archaeology Museum of Lisbon, Portugal). When Hercules grew up and had become a great warrior, he...

The Mixoparthenos (half-maiden), is a hybrid creature with a double fish-tail from the Black Sea. The limestone sculpture dates back to the 1st-2nd century CE and comes from Panticapaeum in Taurica (Crimea, Ukraine). In Herodotus' Histories...

Metope from the east side of the temple of Zeus, Olympia. Here Hercules (aka Heracles) holds the heavens on his shoulders with the aid of Athena, on the right Atlas gives the Apples of the Hesperides. (470-460 BCE) Olympia Archaeological...

Hydria (ceramic water container) depicting Heracles killing the Lernaean Hydra (an ancient serpent-like water monster), from Etruria, attributed to the Painter of Aquila, 530-500 BCE. (photo taken at the Monsters. Fantastic Creatures of Fear...

Engraved gold signet ring from Tiryns, c. 15th century BCE. National Archaeological Museum, Athens. The largest ring (7.5 × 3.5 cm) handed down to us from the Mycenaean civilization, the Tiryns signet ring flags up the strong vein of Minoan...