The Twelve Labours of Herakles

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Illustration

Simeon Netchev
by
published on 13 February 2023

A map illustrating the Twelve Labours of Herakles (Heracles, romanized as Hercules), probably the most famous of the ancient heroes in Greek mythology. Born as a demi-god (son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene,) Herakles was tricked out of his kingdom and constantly pursued by Hera, which culminated in a fit of madness that drove him to murder his wife and children. As a penance, he was urged by the Oracle of Delphi to enter into service of Eurystheus, the king of Tiryns and Mycenae, for twelve years and perform a sequence of Twelve Labours that seemed impossible (the fixed narrative of Twelve Labours, as well as Herakles' signature lion's skin attire and a club is attributed to the ancient poet Peisander, from c. 600 BCE).

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About the Author

Simeon Netchev
Simeon is a freelance visual designer with a deep interest in the human side of history. He believes that every image should be an interaction, a commentary, and a narrative, and every map should lead on an exciting journey of exploration and discovery.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Netchev, S. (2023, February 13). The Twelve Labours of Herakles. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17052/the-twelve-labours-of-herakles/

Chicago Style

Netchev, Simeon. "The Twelve Labours of Herakles." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 13, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17052/the-twelve-labours-of-herakles/.

MLA Style

Netchev, Simeon. "The Twelve Labours of Herakles." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 13 Feb 2023. Web. 28 Mar 2023.

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