Hercules (US: /ˈhɜːr.kjəˌliz/; UK: /ˈhɜː.kjʊˌliːz/) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmene. ... In later Western art and literature and in popular culture, Hercules is more commonly used than Heracles as the name of the hero.

Was Heracles Hercules?

Heracles, Greek Herakles, Roman Hercules, one of the most famous Greco-Roman legendary heroes. Traditionally, Heracles was the son of Zeus and Alcmene (see Amphitryon), granddaughter of Perseus.

Why was Heracles called Hercules?

When Alcmene's husband, Amphitryon, was away, Zeus made her pregnant. This made Hera so angry that she tried to prevent the baby from being born. When Alcmene gave birth to the baby anyway, she named him Herakles. (The Romans pronounced the name "Hercules," and so do we today.)