In Greek mythology, how did Hercules kill the Nemean Lion during his first labor?

Hercules killed the Nemean Lion by strangling it during his first labor.

The lion’s hide was famously impenetrable to ordinary weapons, so Hercules first tried to fight it with arrows and a club. When those weapons failed, he used his immense strength to grapple with the animal and choke it to death.

Afterward, Hercules needed to remove the lion’s hide as proof of completing the task. Ordinary blades could not cut it, so he used one of the lion’s own claws. He then wore the hide as armor, and later artistic traditions commonly show him carrying its massive club.

The Nemean Lion lived in the region of Nemea, in the northeastern Peloponnese. Ancient accounts differ in some details, including the lion’s parentage, but its invulnerable hide and strangulation by Hercules are the central features of the story. The labor established the pattern of overcoming a supernatural obstacle through strength and ingenuity.