Herakles in classical art

This chapter provides a brief and selective survey of the images of Heracles, the ancient Mediterranean ‘poster boy’ par excellence, in the art of Greece and Rome from Archaic Greece through the Roman Empire, thus the 7th c. BCE through to the 3rd century CE. The topic is divided thematically according to the diverse contexts in which images of Heracles appeared: sport, politics, and the private realm. It is clear that these spheres of activity overlap, not least with religion, which is another reason to reflect on Heracles’ pre-eminence.