Mythical hero from Ancient Greece, son of the sky-father god Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene; known as Hercules in later Roman adaptations of Greek myth. Given his prowess as a fighter, Heracles was considered the patron deity of the Ancient Greek gymnasium. He is typically shown fighting with a bow or a club. The name ‘Heracles’ means ‘glory of Hera’, referring to the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus and a fertility goddess from earlier prehistoric cults. Scholarly opinion on the origin of the Heracles myth varies somewhat, with some suggesting that the title ‘Heracles’ likely referred to a male priest or consort of the goddess before the development of the Proto-Indo-European pantheon of twelve deities led by Zeus. Others suggest that he may have once been a real warrior whose heroism was mythologised over time. By the 5th century BCE, Heracles was assimilated into the mainstream Olympian pantheon of Ancient Greece.