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 world's largest living cat * Hercules moth, of family Saturniidae * Hercules parrot, an extinct giant parrot species from New Zealand

Arts and entertainment

Fictional characters

* Hercules (comics), 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 * Hercules (crater), a lunar impact crater

Businesses

* Hercules (Bulgarian company), 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., 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), 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 (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 (1865–1936), American baseball player * Hércules de Miranda (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 (born 1975), Canadian welterweight boxer * Sir Hercules Langrishe, 1st Baronet (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 (born 1995), American football player * Hercules Mulligan, (1740–1825), tailor and spy for the patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War * Hércules Pereira do Nascimento (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 (born 1989), Saint Helena politician and official * Olia Hercules (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, Monaco

Teams

* Hércules (Salvadoran football club) *

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, a power supply unit for audiophile turntables

Transportation

* de Havilland Hercules, 1920s British airliner and mailplane * Fletcher Hercules, 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), 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, 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, 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, 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, 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 ...