Hercules, the First Superhero: An Unauthorized Biography

Hercules the superman, the monster­slaying machine, the myth—who was the man beneath the lion­skin head­dress, and does he really live up to his legend? This unique biography tells the story of the first superhero from his traumatic birth to his dramatic death. Hercules was more than just his twelve famous labours. He was a father, a lover, a leader of armies and a fine strategist. He was also a cattle­thief, a murderer and a rapist. Using ancient sources from early Greece to the Late Roman Empire, this detailed biography fleshes out the character of one of the most complex and flawed heroes of Greek mythology. Philip Matyszak has a doctorate in Roman history from St. John's College, Oxford University and is the author of many books on ancient history including the best-selling The Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classical Stories , Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day , and The Roman Soldier's (Unofficial) Manual. He teaches e-learning courses in ancient History for the Institute of Continuing Education at Cambridge University.