Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

is the Roman adaptation of the Greek mythological hero

Heracles Heracles ( ; ), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a Divinity, divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of ZeusApollodorus1.9.16/ref> and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive descent through ...

. Hercules may also refer to:

Animals

Hercules beetle The Hercules beetle (''Dynastes hercules'') is a species of Dynastinae, rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the List of largest insects#Beetles (Coleopter ...

Hercules (bear) Hercules (1975 – 4 February 2000) was a trained grizzly bear from Scotland who appeared in a number of cameo roles for various television productions, reaching the height of his popularity in the 1980s. Origins Hercules was born in captivity ...

(1975–2001), Scottish wrestling bear *

Hercules (liger) The liger is a hybrid offspring of a male lion (''Panthera leo'') and a tigress, or female tiger (''Panthera tigris''). The liger has parents in the same genus but of different species. The liger is distinct from the opposite hybrid called th ...

, the world's largest living cat * Hercules moth, of family Saturniidae *

Hercules parrot ''Heracles inexpectatus'' is a giant fossil parrot species from New Zealand, assigned to a monotypic genus ''Heracles'', that lived during the early Miocene approximately 16 to 19 million years ago. The species was described from two tibiotarsus ...

, an extinct giant parrot species from New Zealand

Arts and entertainment

Fictional characters

Hercules (comics) The mythological hero Hercules or Heracles appears in several comics. * Hercules (DC Comics), a DC Comics character * Hercules (Marvel Comics), a Marvel Comics character * Hercules (Radical Comics), a Radical Comics character * Hercules, a chara ...

, various versions of the mythical hero in comics *

Hercules (Disney character) The following are fictional characters from Disney's franchise ''Hercules'', which includes its 1997 animated film and its derived TV series. These productions are adaptations of Greek mythology, and as such, differ greatly from the classical ve ...

* Hercules (''TUGS''), in the British children's television series ''TUGS'' * Hercules Grytpype-Thynne, a character from the British 1950s comedy radio programme ''The Goon Show'' * Hercules, a superhero in the 1970s Filmation animated cartoon ''

Space Sentinels ''Space Sentinels'' (originally titled ''Young Sentinels'' and renamed midway through its only season) is a Saturday morning cartoon, Saturday morning animated series produced by Filmation which debuted on the American NBC network on September 10, ...

Film

* ''Hercules'' (1958 film), starring Steve Reeves * ''Hercules'' (1983 film), starring Lou Ferrigno ** ''

The Adventures of Hercules ''The Adventures of Hercules'' () also known as ''Hercules II: The Adventures of Hercules'' is the 1985 sequel to the 1983 film '' Hercules''. It was written and directed by Luigi Cozzi and has bodybuilder-turned-actor Lou Ferrigno reprising ...

'' (1985 film), sequel to the 1983 film * ''Hercules'' (1997 film), a Disney animated film * ''Hercules'' (2014 film), an action-adventure film starring Dwayne Johnson

Television

* ''

The Mighty Hercules ''The Mighty Hercules'' is an animated television series based loosely on the Greek mythology character of Heracles, under his Roman name Hercules. It debuted on television in 1963. The show ran until 1966, coinciding with the sword-and-sandal ge ...

'', a 1963–1966 Canadian-American animated television show * '' Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'', a 1995–1999 American syndicated action television series starring Kevin Sorbo * ''Hercules'' (1998 TV series), based on the 1997 Disney film * ''Hercules'' (miniseries), a 2005 American television miniseries that aired on NBC

Music

* ''Hercules'' (Handel), a music drama by George Frideric Handel * "Hercules", a 1973 song by

Aaron Neville Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer renowned for his distinctively smooth, vibrato-heavy tenor and a genre-crossing career that spans R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, country, and pop. He gained national prominence with hi ...

* "Hercules", a song by Midnight Oil from their 1985 EP ''

Species Deceases ''Species Deceases'' is an extended play by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released on 26 November 1985 under the CBS record label. ''Species Deceases'' debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart for six weeks fr ...

'' * ''Hercules'' (soundtrack), for the 1997 Disney film * "Hercules", a song from Elton John's 1972 album ''

Honky Château ''Honky Château'' is the fifth studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released on 19 May 1972, and was titled after the 18th century French chateau where it was recorded, Château d'Hérouville. The album reached number one on the ...

'' * "Hercules", a song from

George Watsky George Virden Watsky (born September 15, 1986) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, poet, author, and illustrator. Watsky broke out as a rapper with his viral video "Pale kid raps fast" in 2011, which featured his tradem ...

's 2009 album ''Watsky'' * "Hercules", a song from Young Thug's 2016 mixtape '' I'm Up''

Video games

* ''Hercules'' (1984 video game), for home computers * ''Disney's Hercules'' (video game), 1997, based on the Disney film

Other arts and entertainment

Hercules (franchise) ''Hercules'' is a Walt Disney Company, Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional merchandise, starting with Hercules (1997 film), the 1997 animated Disney feature of the same name, directed by John Musker and Ron Clements F ...

, a Disney media franchise * ''Hercules'' (musical), 2019, based on the 1997 Disney film * ''Hercules'' (Piero della Francesca), a 15th-century fresco * ''Hercules'' (Seneca), a play

Astronomy

Hercules (constellation) Hercules is a constellation named after Hercules, the Roman mythology hero adapted from the Greek mythology, Greek hero Heracles. Hercules was one of the 48 constellations listed by the second-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the ...

, in the northern hemisphere **

Hercules (dwarf galaxy) Hercules, or Her, is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy situated in the Hercules constellation and discovered in 2006 in data obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The galaxy is located at a distance of about 140 kpc from the Sun and moves away ...

, near the Milky Way galaxy **

Hercules Superclusters The Hercules Superclusters (SCl 160) refers to a set of two nearby superclusters of galaxies. Relative to other local superclusters, Hercules is considered particularly large, being approximately 330 Mly in diameter. The Northern Local Supervoid ...

***

Hercules Cluster The Hercules Cluster (Abell 2151) is a cluster of about 200 galaxies some 500 million light-years distant in the constellation Hercules. It is rich in spiral galaxies and shows many interacting galaxies. The cluster is part of the larger Hercul ...

* Hercules (crater), a lunar impact crater

Businesses

Hercules (Bulgarian company) Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

, a defunct maker of commercial vehicles * Hercules (nightclub), Helsinki, Finland * Hercules (vehicles), a Greek manufacturer of farm vehicles *

Hercules Computer Technology Hercules Computer Technology, Inc. was a manufacturer of computer peripherals for IBM PC compatible, PCs and Macintosh, Macs founded in 1982. History Hercules was formed in 1982 in Hercules, California, by Van Suwannukul and Kevin Jenkins an ...

, a former computer peripheral manufacturer *

Hercules Cycle and Motor Company The Hercules Cycle and Motor Company Limited was a British bicycle manufacturer founded on 9 September 1910 in Aston in England.Company registration 111679: Companies House – http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/ The name Hercules was chosen for ...

, a former British bicycle manufacturer *

Hercules Engine Company Hercules Engine Corporation was an American engine manufacturer located in Canton, Ohio. History The company was founded in 1915, known at first as Hercules Motor Manufacturing Company, to build industrial engines, especially for trucks. The com ...

, in Canton, Ohio, US * Hercules Gas Engine Company, in Cincinnati, Ohio, US *

Hercules Inc. Hercules, Inc. was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, incorporated in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company following the breakup of the DuPont explosives monopoly by the U.S. Circuit Co ...

, a chemical company which merged with and became Ashland, Inc.

Military

* HMS ''Hercules'', any of several Royal Navy ships *

Hughes H-4 Hercules The Hughes H-4 Hercules (commonly known as the ''Spruce Goose''; Aircraft registration, registration NX37602) is a prototype strategic airlift flying boat designed and built by the Hughes Aircraft Company. Intended as a transatlantic flight t ...

, a prototype strategic airlift flying boat *

Lockheed C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

, an American military transport aircraft *

Bristol Hercules The Bristol Hercules is a 14-cylinder two-row radial aircraft engine designed by Sir Roy Fedden and produced by the Bristol Engine Company starting in 1939. It was the most numerous of their single sleeve valve ( Burt-McCollum, or Argyll, ty ...

, a British aircraft engine *

Nike Hercules The Nike Hercules, initially designated SAM-A-25 and later MIM-14, was a surface-to-air missile (SAM) used by U.S. and NATO armed forces for medium- and high-altitude long-range air defense. It was normally armed with the W31 nuclear warhead, bu ...

, a surface-to-air missile used by US and NATO armed forces * M88 Hercules, a US Army armored battlefield recovery vehicle

Civil aircraft

Lockheed L-100 Hercules The Lockheed L-100 Hercules is the civilian variant of the prolific C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft made by the Lockheed Corporation. Its first flight occurred in 1964. Longer L-100-20 and L-100-30 versions were developed, despite thi ...

People

Mononym or professional name

* Hercules (gangster) (born 1960s), Indonesian crime boss *

Hercules (wrestler) Raymond Constantine Fernandez Jr. (May 7, 1956 – March 6, 2004) was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Hercules Hernandez, or simply Hercules. Fernandez began his career in 1979, primarily wrestling in Florida and ...

, WWF professional wrestler Ray Fernandez (1956–2004) * Ruben Cruz (1950–2020), Puerto Rican professional wrestler known by his ring name, Hercules Ayala * Richard Sandrak (born 1992), American bodybuilder known as Little Hercules

Given name

Hércules Brito Ruas Hércules de Brito Ruas, (born 9 August 1939 in Rio de Janeiro), known as Brito, is a former Brazilian footballer. He played as a central defender for several clubs, and for the Brazil national team. Club career In 1975, he played abroad in ...

(born 1939), Brazilian footballer known as Brito *

Hercules Brabazon Brabazon Hercules Brabazon Brabazon (born Hercules Brabazon Sharpe; 27 November 1821 – 14 May 1906) was an English people, English artist, accomplished in J. M. W. Turner, Turner-manner watercolours. Life and work Brabazon was the younger son ...

(1821–1906), English artist *

Hercules Burnett Hercules H. Burnett (August 13, 1865 – October 4, 1936) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in the major leagues as an outfielder and first baseman for the Louisville Colonels in the late 19th century. Biog ...

(1865–1936), American baseball player *

Hércules de Miranda Hercules is the Roman adaptation of the Greek mythological hero Heracles. Hercules may also refer to: Animals * Hercules beetle * Hercules (bear) (1975–2001), Scottish wrestling bear * Hercules (liger), the world's largest living cat * Hercul ...

(1912–1982), Brazilian footballer *

Hércules Florence Antoine Hercule Romuald Florence (29 February 1804 – 27 March 1879) was a Monegasque-Brazilian painter and inventor, known as the isolate inventor of photography in Brazil, three years before Daguerre (but six years after Nicéphore Niépce), ...

(1804–1879), French-Brazilian painter and inventor * Hercules Huncks (died 1660), English soldier, one of the Regicides of King Charles I *

Hercules Kyvelos Hercules Kyvelos (born February 25, 1975) is a Canadian boxer in the Welterweight division and is the former Canadian Welterweight Champion. He fought at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Early life Hercules was born in Canada but h ...

(born 1975), Canadian welterweight boxer *

Sir Hercules Langrishe, 1st Baronet Sir Hercules Langrishe, 1st Baronet (1729 – 1 February 1811) was an Irish politician. Life and career He was the only son of Robert Langrishe of Knocktopher, County Kilkenny and Anne Whitby, daughter of Jonathan Whitby of Kilcreggan, and ...

(1729–1811), Irish politician * Sir Hercules Langrishe, 5th Baronet (1859–1943), Irish soldier, sailor and yachtsman * Hercules Linton (1836–1900), Scottish shipbuilder and designer *

Hercules Mata'afa Hercules Mata'afa (born September 18, 1995) is an American former professional football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Washington State Cougars, earning consensus All-American honors in 20 ...

(born 1995), American football player *

Hercules Mulligan Hercules Mulligan (September 25, 1740March 4, 1825) was an Irish-American tailor and spy during the American Revolutionary War, as well as a member of the Sons of Liberty. Early life Born in Coleraine in the north of Ireland to Hugh and Sarah ...

, (1740–1825), tailor and spy for the patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War *

Hércules Pereira do Nascimento Hercules is the Roman adaptation of the Greek mythological hero Heracles. Hercules may also refer to: Animals * Hercules beetle * Hercules (bear) (1975–2001), Scottish wrestling bear * Hercules (liger), the world's largest living cat * Hercul ...

(born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Hercules Posey (1748–1812), slave owned by George Washington * Hercules Read (Charles Hercules Read, 1857–1929), British archaeologist and curator at the British Museum *

Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead Hercules George Robert Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, (19 December 1824 – 28 October 1897), was a British colonial administrator who became the 5th Governor of Hong Kong, then 13th Governor of Ceylon, and subsequently, the 14th Governor of ...

(1824–1897), the 5th governor of Hong Kong * Hercules Ross (1745–1816), Scottish merchant involved in the campaign for the abolition of the slave trade *

Hercules Seghers Hercules Pieterszoon Seghers or Segers ( 1589 – 1638) was a Dutch painter and printmaker of the Dutch Golden Age. Segers is in fact the more common form in contemporary documents, and was used by the painter himself (modern use is about equall ...

(1589–1638), Dutch painter and printmaker * Hercules Taylour (1759–1790), Irish soldier and politician

Surname

Kylie Hercules Kylie Marie Hercules, Legislative Council of Saint Helena, MLC (born 5 October 1989) is a politician and former prison officer and social worker from the island of Saint Helena, part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and ...

(born 1989), Saint Helena politician and official *

Olia Hercules Olia Hercules (born 1984) is a London-based Ukrainian chef, food writer and food stylist. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine she initiated a programme of fundraising, for individuals and for UNICEF. Early life Olia Hercules was ...

(born 1984), London-based Ukrainian chef, food writer and food stylist

Places

Hercules, California Hercules is a city in western Contra Costa County, California. Situated along the coast of San Pablo Bay, it is located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, about north of Berkeley. As of the 2020 census, its population was ...

, a small town *

Hercules, Missouri Hercules is an unincorporated community in Taney County, in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. Hercules is located on Missouri Route 125, south of Bradleyville and just northeast of the Hercules Glades Wilderness protected area. The townsite is ...

, an unincorporated community * Mount Hercules, Antarctica *

Port Hercules Port Hercules ( ) is the only deep-water port in Monaco. The port has been in use since ancient times. The modern port was completed in 1926, and underwent substantial improvements in the 1970s. It covers almost , enough to provide anchorage for ...

, Monaco

Teams

Hércules (Salvadoran football club) Hercules is the Roman adaptation of the Greek mythological hero Heracles. Hercules may also refer to: Animals * Hercules beetle * Hercules (bear) (1975–2001), Scottish wrestling bear * Hercules (liger), the world's largest living cat * Hercul ...

Hércules CF Hércules de Alicante Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. () is a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football team in Alicante, in the Valencian Community. Founded on 25 October 1922, it currently plays in Primera Federación and plays its home games ...

, a football team based in Alicante, Spain *

JS Hercules JS Hercules is an association football club based in Oulu, Finland. Founded in 1998, the team started at the lowest level of the Football Association of Finland, Finnish league system and was playing in the Third Division until promoted to Kakkone ...

, a football team based in Oulu, Finland *

USV Hercules Utrechtse Sportvereniging Hercules (Utrecht Sports Association Hercules), also known as USV Hercules, Hercules Utrecht or simply Hercules, is an amateur football club in Utrecht, Netherlands. In 2014 it joined the Derde Divisie (then still known ...

, a football club based in Utrecht, Netherlands

Technology

Nikon NASA F4 The Nikon NASA F4 Electronic Still Camera is one of the first and rarest fully digital cameras with development started in 1987. While Nikon delivered a modified Nikon F4 body, most of the electronics for the digital camera and housings were de ...

, one of the first digital cameras, used by NASA as HERCULES *

Hercules (emulator) Hercules is a computer emulator allowing software written for IBM mainframe computers (System/370, System/390, and zSeries/System z) and for plug compatible mainframes (such as Amdahl machines) to run on other types of computer hardware, not ...

, an IBM mainframe emulator * Hercules (processors), a line of safety microcontrollers from Texas Instruments *

Hercules Graphics Card The Hercules Graphics Card (HGC) is a computer graphics controller formerly made by Hercules Computer Technology, Inc. that combines IBM's text-only MDA display standard with a bitmapped graphics mode, also offering a parallel printer port. ...

, an early graphics card for the IBM PC *

Hercules PSU Hercules is the de facto brand name of a range of substitute, or 'upgrade,' power supplies for audiophile turntables that use a synchronous motor. A single design of PCB (printed circuit board) provides crystal oscillator regulated power f ...

, a power supply unit for audiophile turntables

Transportation

de Havilland Hercules The de Havilland DH.66 Hercules was a British 1920s seven-passenger, trimotor airliner built by de Havilland Aircraft Company. With the Hercules, Imperial Airways took over responsibility for the airmail service from the Royal Air Force, wh ...

, 1920s British airliner and mailplane *

Fletcher Hercules The Fletcher Hercules is an American two-seat ultralight trike that was designed by AW Harrison and produced by Fletcher's Ultralights of Turlock, California, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur ...

, American ultralight trike aircraft * ''Hercules'' (1872–1889), one of the ten

South Devon Railway Buffalo class The ten Buffalo class locomotives were broad gauge locomotives operated on the South Devon Railway, Cornwall Railway and West Cornwall Railway. They were designed for goods trains but were also used on passenger trains when required. These loc ...

steam locomotives * ''Hercules'', one of the

GWR 3031 Class The Dean Single, 3031 Class, or Achilles Class was a type of steam locomotive built by the British Great Western Railway between 1891 and 1899. They were designed by William Dean for passenger work. The first 30 members of the class were built ...

locomotives run on the Great Western Railway between 1891 and 1915 * , various ships * , several steamships *

Hercules (motorcycle) Hercules is a Germany, German brand of Bicycle, bicycles and Motorcycle, motorcycles. History Founded as The Hercules Company in 1886 by Carl Marschütz in Nuremberg, Hercules initially only produced bicycles, but began producing motorcycles in ...

, built by Sachs Motorcycles * Hercules (locomotive), built in 1838 for the Beaver Meadow Railroad *

, better known as the "Spruce Goose", American 1940s prototype flying boat, the largest ever built *

Paladin Hercules The Paladin Hercules is an American powered parachute, that was designed and produced by Paladin Industries of Pennsauken, New Jersey.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page D-9. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ...

, American powered parachute design * Hercules Cycles, brand of bicycles produced by

Tube Investments of India Tube Investments of India Limited is an Indian engineering and manufacturing company that specializes in bicycles, metal formed products, and chains. It is based in Chennai and a part of Murugappa Group. It was incorporated as TI Cycles of Ind ...

Hercules station Hercules station (officially the Hercules Regional Intermodal Transit Center) is a proposed intermodal infill train station and ferry terminal in Hercules, California in Contra Costa County. It is to be the first direct Amtrak-to-ferry transit ...

, proposed train station and ferry terminal for Hercules, California

Other

* Judge Hercules, a metaphorical "ideal judge" posited by legal philosopher

Ronald Dworkin Ronald Myles Dworkin (; December 11, 1931 – February 14, 2013) was an American legal philosopher, jurist, and scholar of United States constitutional law. At the time of his death, he was Frank Henry Sommer Professor of Law and Philosophy at ...

* Hercules (roller coaster), former structure in Allentown, Pennsylvania * Hercules (tree), a giant sequoia in the Mountain Home Grove, California *

Winter Storm Hercules Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Differen ...

, designated by The Weather Channel in the United States in 2014 *

Resupply Depot Hercules The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station was a Private spaceflight, private low Earth orbit, orbital space station under conceptual development by Bigelow Aerospace in the 2000s and 2010s. Previous concepts of the space station had ...

, an orbiting space station concept by Bigelow Aerospace *

Hercules silver mine The Hercules Mine was one of the richest lead/silver mines in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains in Burke, Idaho. It was discovered by Harry L. Day, a bookkeeper and clerk, and Fred Harper, a local prospector. In 1923 the mine owners founded the Day Mi ...

, in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, Idaho * the "Hercules gene", a popular name for variants of the MSTN gene coding for

myostatin Myostatin (also known as growth differentiation factor 8, abbreviated GDF8) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MSTN'' gene. Myostatin is a myokine that is produced and released by myocytes and acts on muscle cells to inhibit muscle ...