Heracles as Ancestor

Abstract

As he is ubiquitous in myth, Heracles is also ubiquitous in political myth-making, especially in his role as ancestor of communities and dynasties in the archaic through Hellenistic periods. Whether invoking his heroic qualities to enhance their own virtues or linking themselves to a Heraclid tradition to promote their own historical significance, such communities found Heracles to be useful in the context of political legitimization, kinship diplomacy, religion, and other areas. Examples include the creation and promotion of the Return of the Heraclidae by the Dorian regimes of the Peloponnese and attempts by individual Spartans to benefit personally from their putative Heraclid ancestry.