Hercules

Hercules and Achelous (in the form of a bull) 17th century (ca. 1670)

A famous hero born from Jupiter and the mortal Alcmene. Hercules came from the famous Greek legend where his name was Heracles. He was favored on Etruscan arts, and later coins. Even though he was originally Greek, the Roman Hercules had a great amount of original Roman tales. One of the more famous stories involved defeating Cacus, a man who terrorized the countryside. He later became considered a deity, and was the protector of childbirth due to having many children of his own. He was also associated with strength, Roman brides wore a belt called "knot of Hercules" which was hard to untie. Hercules was a complicated figure, in one myth his own madness was said to bring him to murder his first wife and child. Another by Ovid said he was poisoned and accepted by the gods to become one. Regardless through each myth, Juno despised him as she did with any child born from Jupiter that was not her own. Mark Anthony and emperor Commodus both considered Hercules to be their patron god.

Juno, with Hercules fighting a Centaur on reverse (Roman, 215–15 BCE)

Baby Hercules strangling a snake sent to kill him in his cradle (Roman marble, 2nd century CE)