What giant would grow stronger when touching the ground, defeated by Heracles? Antaeus was the giant who drew renewed strength from contact with the ground and was defeated by Heracles.
Antaeus was a powerful wrestler in Greek mythology, commonly described as the son of Poseidon and Gaia, the Earth. He challenged travelers in Libya to wrestling matches and killed those he overcame. Because the earth was his mother and source of power, touching the ground made him effectively invincible.
Heracles initially struggled because throwing Antaeus down only restored his strength. The hero eventually recognized the secret, lifted the giant off the ground, and held him aloft while crushing or strangling him. The story rewards intelligence and tactical observation as much as physical strength.
Antaeus is sometimes confused with Alcyoneus, another giant whose strength and immortality were connected to his native soil. Their stories share the motif that earth-bound giants can recover or resist defeat while touching their homeland, but the famous wrestling match with Heracles belongs to Antaeus.