Hercules’ mortal mother in Greek mythology was Alcmene.
Alcmene was the daughter of Electryon, king of Mycenae, and the wife of Amphitryon. Zeus disguised himself as Amphitryon and visited Alcmene while her husband was away, resulting in the birth of Hercules. Amphitryon later returned and fathered Iphicles, Hercules’ mortal half-brother.
This unusual birth story explains why Hercules is often described as a demigod: Zeus was his divine father, while Alcmene was his human mother. Hera’s hostility toward him began because he was Zeus’s son by another woman.
A common mix-up is identifying Hera as Hercules’ mother. Hera was Zeus’s wife and a frequent enemy of Hercules, not his parent. Alcmene also appears in stories about the hero’s childhood before the Twelve Labors began.