Hercules

     The Roman counterpart to the Greek God Hercules was identified as Recaranus who had two temples dedicated to him in the city of Rome. Hercules was the demi-God son of Zeus and Alcmene. As an infant, his jealous stepmother Juno placed a snake into Hercules crib with the intension to kill the child. But Hercules was born with super human strength and was able to strangle the serpent. Later in his life he was cursed with madness by Juno and murdered his wife and children out of insanity. Hercules was filled with shame from his actions and had to complete twelve labors of slaying monstrous beasts to regain his honor. After the tasks completions, Hercules moved to the town of Thebes where he remarried. However his wife was told by a centaur to use his blood as a love potion on her husband if he began to fall for another woman. She dowsed Hercules shirt in the blood, which acted as poison and unfortunately killed him. After his death Hercules ascended to Mount Olympus where he was given immortality and a place to live with the Gods.

Marble bust of Emperor Commodus dressed as the hero Hercules. The club, lion pelt and apples in hand are frequent symbols related to Hercules. Located at the Musei Capitolini 

Ellingson, Leif. "Hercules." Encyclopedia Mythica. Encyclopedia Mythica Online, 22 Apr. 1997. Web. 17 Aug. 2013. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/hercules.html>.

"Hercules." Roman Mythology Index. Myth Index, 2007. Web. 18 Aug. 2013. 

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