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 and virility. 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.