2-731-016 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Hercules, c. 30 BC - 20. Half-human, half-divine, not very bright, but very strong, this hero was the most popular of all mythological figures. His intellectual weakness made him a sympathetic figure while his persistence in undergoing great trials was inspirational. Roman artists often portrayed Hercules as middle-aged, as though greater maturity would increase his power andvirility. Hercules slew a monster-lion—the scourge of Nemea—by strangling it and beating it with his olive-wood club. He wears the beast’s pelt as a trophy, and this statuette’s right hand once held a club.