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	{{Otheruses4\|the Roman mythological hero\|the Greek mythic hero from which Hercules was adapted\|Heracles\|other uses\|Hercules (disambiguation)}}
	]", with the ], Roman 2nd century B.C.; found in the ] in the 15th century (])]]
	'''Hercules''' is the ] name for the ] ] ] ''']''', son of ] and the mortal ]. Early Roman sources suggest that the imported Greek hero supplanted a mythic Italic shepherd called "Recaranus" or "Garanus", famous for his strength, who dedicated the ] that became associated with the earliest Roman cult of Hercules.<ref>] viii. 203, 275 ; ], ''Saturnalia'' iii. 12.</ref> While adopting much of the Greek Heracles' iconography and mythology as his own, Hercules adopted a number of myths and characteristics that were distinctly Roman.

	==Etymology==

	Hercules's ] name is not directly borrowed from Greek ''Heracles'' but is a modification of the ] name ''Hercle'', which derives from the Greek name via ], Heracles translates to "The Glory of Hera". An oath invoking Hercules (''Hercle!'' or ''Mehercle!'') was a common interjection in ].<ref>W. M. Lindsay, "Mehercle and Herc(v)lvs. " ''The Classical Quarterly'' '''12'''.2 (April 1918:58).</ref>

	==Character==
	In Roman works of art and in Renaissance and post-Renaissance art that adapts Roman iconography, Hercules can be identified by his attributes, the ] and the ]: in ] he is shown tanned black, a virile aspect.<ref>The Classical and Hellenistic conventions of frescoes and mosaics is to show women as pale-skinned and men as tanned dark from their outdoor arena of action and exercising in the ].(See also and ).</ref> While he was a champion and a great warrior, he was not above cheating and using any unfair trick to his advantage. However, he was renowned as having "made the world safe for mankind" by destroying many dangerous monsters. His self-sacrifice obtained him the ascent to the Olympian realms and he was welcomed by the gods.

	==Roman cult==
	]", found near the ] in 1864, (], Rome);<ref>The sculpture had been carefully buried in Antiquity, having been struck by lightning.</ref>]]

	In their popular culture the Romans adopted the Etruscan '''Hercle''', a hero-figure that had already been influenced by Greek culture — especially in the conventions of his representation — but who had experienced an autonomous development. Etruscan Hercle appears in the elaborate illustrative engraved designs on the backs of Etruscan bronze mirrors made during the fourth century BC, which were favoured ]. Their specific literary references have been lost, with the loss of all Etruscan literature, but the image of the mature, bearded Hercules suckling at ]/]'s breast, engraved on a mirror back from ], is distinctively Etruscan. This Hercle/Hercules — the Hercle of the interjection "Mehercle!" — remained a popular cult figure in the Roman legions.

	The literary Greek versions of his life and works were appropriated by literate Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards, essentially unchanged, but Latin literature of Hercules added anecdotal detail of its own, some of it linking the hero with the geography of the Western Mediterranean. Details of the Greek ], which mixed ] libations and uneaten ]s with Olympian services, were adapted to specifically Roman requirements as well, as Hercules became the founding figure of ] and other places, and his cult became entwined with Imperial cult, as shown in surviving frescoes in the Herculanean ''collegium''. His altar has been dated to the 5th or 6th century BC. It stood near the ]. Hercules became popular with merchants, who customarily paid him a ] of their profits.

	] identified himself with Hercules, and even invented a son of Hercules, called ], from whom Antonius claimed descent. In response, his enemy ] identified with ]. Some early emperors took up the attributes of Hercules (eg Traianus), and later ]s, in particular ] and ], went further and often identified or compared themselves with him and supported his cult; Maximianus styled himself "Herculius".

	The cult of Hercules spread through the Roman world. In their gardens, wealthy Romans would often build altars to Hercules, who was regarded as the benefactor of mankind.<ref>Martial, book VII By Guillermo Galán Vioque, Martial, J. J. Zoltowski; p132</ref> In Roman Egypt, what is believed to be the remains of a Temple of Hercules are found in the ].

	==Myths of Hercules==

	The Romans adopted the ] including his ], essentially unchanged, but added anecdotal detail of their own, some of it linking Hercules with the geography of the Western Mediterranean.

	In ] ], ] was Hercules's mistress. She was married to ], a wealthy merchant. When he died, she gave his money to charity. In another version, she was the wife of ].

	In '']'' 8.195ff., ] relates a myth about Hercules' defeating the monstrous ], who lived in a cave under the ] (one of the eventual ]).

	==Germanic association==
	] records a special affinity of the ] for Hercules. In chapter 3 of his '']'', Tacitus states:
	<blockquote>
	''... they say that Hercules, too, once visited them; and when going into battle, they sang of him first of all heroes. They have also those songs of theirs, by the recital of this ''barditus''<ref>or, ''baritus'', there being scribal variants. In the 17th century, the word entered the German language as ''barditus'' and was associated with the Celtic ]s.</ref> as they call it, they rouse their courage, while from the note they augur the result of the approaching conflict. For, as their line shouts, they inspire or feel alarm.''
	</blockquote>

	Roman era ]s appear from the 2nd to 3rd century, spread over the empire (including ], c.f. Cool 1986), mostly made of gold, shaped like wooden apples. A specimen found in ] bears the inscription "DEO HER", confirming the association with Hercules.

	In the 5th to 7th centuries, during the ], the amulet is theorized to have rapidly spread from the ] area across Europe. These Germanic "]'s Clubs" were made from deer antler, bone or wood, more rarely also from Bronze or precious metals. They are found exclusively in female graves, apparently worn either as a belt pendant, or as an ear pendant. The amulet type is replaced by the ] ] pendants in the course of the ] from the 8th to 9th century.

	==Art==

	Roman images of Hercules were based upon Hellenistic Greek images and might be contrasted with the images of Hercules that appear in Attic vase-painting ''(see ]).'' One aspect of Heracles' iconography that did not carry over to that of Hercules was his use of a bow.

	==Gallery of ancient interpretations==
	<gallery>
	Image:Missorium Herakles lion Cdm Paris 56-345 n3.jpg\|Hercules and the ] (detail), ] ], ] (], ])
	Image:Ercolano1 Copyright2003KaihsuTai.jpg\|Hercules frescoes in the ''collegium'' at ]
	Image:Hercules and Iolaus mosaic - Anzio Nymphaeum.jpg\|Hercules and his nephew, helper and ] ]<br> 1st c. A.D. mosaic from the Anzio Nymphaeum, Rome
	Image:Statutes of a Religious Association.JPG\|Statutes of a religious association in Roman-era Greece whose members worshipped Hercules
	Image:Muze 001.jpg\|Hercules bronze statue form the second century in the museum of ], ]
	</gallery>

	==Hercules in popular culture==
	{{main\|Hercules in popular culture}}
	Since the Renaissance, Hercules has rarely been distinguished from Heracles, the Roman figure overshadowing the Greek. Later interpretations of Hercules' legend cast him as a wise leader and a good friend (many of the movie and TV adaptations cast him in this light, especially the 1995-1999 syndicated TV series). The legend of Hercules endures, though often co-opted to suit the political fashion of the day. Hercules has also had an undeniable influence on modern pop culture characters such as ]. The legend of Hercules has been described in many ], including several ] ] featuring the hero. Hercules has been the hero of both ] and ] adventure comic books. In DC, he has often been associated with ]. In Marvel, he currently stars in his own ongoing series titled ''The Incredible Hercules'', where he has dealt with ], ], ], and others. He has also been the protagonist of a feature animation film produced by the Disney studios.

	==Hercules in numismatics==
	Hercules has been the main motif of many collector coins and medals, the most recent one is the famous ] issued in ], ]. The obverse side of the coin shows the Grand Staircase in the town palace of ] in ], currently the Austrian Ministry of Finance. Gods and ] hold its flights, while Hercules stands at the turn of the stairs.

	==Gallery of modern interpretations==
	<gallery>
	File:Antonio Pollaiuolo 002.jpg\|''Hercules and the ]'' by ], 15th century.
	File:Figura 3.jpg\|] sculpture of Hercules, 1758. ] in ].
	Image:2002 Austria 20 Euro Baroque front.jpg\|] featuring Hercules.
	File:Maczuga Herkulesa (background Castle Pieskowa Skała).jpg\|'']'', a tall ] rock and ] in the background.
	</gallery>

	==See also==
	*]
	*]
	*]
	*]

	==Notes==
	{{reflist}}

	==External links==

	* The Italian "Hercules" Filmography
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	*
	*

	{{Twelve tasks of Hercules}}

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Revision as of 22:10, 18 October 2009

all u need to know is that Hercules had sex wt yo mama