In Greek mythology, Zeus was Hercules’ divine father.
Hercules was born to Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. Zeus visited Alcmene while disguised as her husband Amphitryon, and the resulting child possessed both mortal and divine ancestry. This parentage explains Hercules’ exceptional strength and his importance in Greek myth.
Hera, Zeus’ wife, hated Hercules because of Zeus’ affair and repeatedly opposed him. Her hostility appears in stories about the hero’s madness, the assignment of the labors, and several monsters or obstacles connected with his adventures. Hercules’ mortal half-brother Iphicles was Alcmene’s son by Amphitryon.
Roman tradition called the hero Hercules, while Greek sources called him Heracles. The names refer to the same figure. Zeus is the father in both the Greek mythological tradition and the stories underlying the Twelve Labors.