Art

The Children of Herakles

Storyboard

Widespread discontent among the lower classes helped create the conditions for the rise of Doric power in ancient Greece. Yet the true nature of this transformation has largely disappeared from the historical record. What remains survives primarily through myth and legend, with the story of Herakles offering a tantalizing clue to a deeper struggle for power.

When the story of Herakles is retold, it rarely begins at its true beginning. Long before the famous Twelve Labors, Herakles emerged from a world shaped by rival families, contested kingdoms, and struggles over political authority.

Within this turbulent landscape, Herakles conceived an ambition that exceeded even the boldest aspirations of the Greek world: he would challenge the existing order and capture the formidable city of Sparta.