Hercules was a Greek hero, son of Zeus and Alcmene. He is known for his great strength, fighting with a club and killing monsters. Hercules was an important figure in the ancient Greek world. His life has been told in many ways, but he is best known as the son of Zeus. His mother died when he was a baby, so he became Zeus' favorite son and grew up to become a strong leader and a hero who fought monsters. Hercules has been depicted many times in works of art, such as on vases from ancient Greece and coins from the Roman Empire. He is also mentioned in literature, as in Homer's Iliad, Virgil's Aeneid, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Dante Alighieri.