Heracles’ family tree is famously complicated: his divine father is Zeus, his mortal mother is Alcmene, and he married Megara and later Deianira, with numerous children by both wives and several other partners. The fullest ancient account is in the Library of Pseudo-Apollodorus (2.4.8–2.7.8), which lists his wives, lovers, and offspring in detail.
Parents and Birth
Heracles was born in Thebes to Alcmene, the wife of Amphitryon, but his biological father was Zeus, who disguised himself as Amphitryon to sleep with her. This double paternity is central to his myth: Zeus intended him to be a great hero, but Hera’s jealousy shaped his entire life. Alcmene was the daughter of Electryon, king of Mycenae, making her a granddaughter of Perseus; Amphitryon was the son of Alcaeus, another son of Perseus. Thus Heracles was a great-grandson of Perseus and Andromeda on both sides, which explains his connections to the royal houses of Tiryns and Mycenae.
Hera sent two serpents to kill the infant Heracles, but he strangled them, an episode told by Pindar (Nemean Odes 1) and Pseudo-Apollodorus. The name “Heracles” means “glory of Hera,” given either because he was born after Zeus boasted that a descendant of Perseus would rule, or because Hera’s persecution made him famous.
Wives and Major Relationships
Heracles married twice, and both marriages ended in tragedy. His first wife was Megara, daughter of King Creon of Thebes, whom he married after he delivered Thebes from the Minyans. They had several sons (Pseudo-Apollodorus names three: Therimachus, Creontiades, and Deicoon; other sources add others). In a fit of madness sent by Hera, Heracles killed Megara and their children. Afterward, the Delphic oracle ordered him to serve Eurystheus, king of Tiryns, for twelve years, which led to the Twelve Labors.
His second wife was Deianira, daughter of Oeneus, king of Calydon. They married after Heracles fought the river god Achelous for her hand. Deianira bore him several children, including Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus, and Onites (names vary by source). The tragedy of their marriage is told in Sophocles’ Women of Trachis: Deianira, fearing Heracles’ love for Iole, gave him a cloak smeared with what she thought was a love potion—actually the blood of the centaur Nessus, which was poisoned. The cloak caused Heracles unbearable pain, and he died on a pyre on Mount Oeta.
Children by His Wives
From Megara, the most commonly listed sons are Therimachus, Creontiades, and Deicoon. Some sources add a daughter, but she is not consistently named. The murder of these children is one of the most famous episodes in Greek tragedy, dramatized by Euripides in Heracles (though in that play Megara survives).
From Deianira, the sons are Hyllus, Ctesippus, Glenus, and Onites (or Hodites). Hyllus is the most important: he married Iole, the woman Heracles desired, and became the ancestor of the Heracleidae, the Dorian kings of Sparta and Corinth. The Heracleidae claimed descent from Heracles through Hyllus, which gave them legitimacy to rule in the Peloponnese. Pseudo-Apollodorus says Hyllus was the eldest and led the Heracleidae in their attempts to return to the Peloponnese after Heracles’ death.
Other Lovers and Offspring
Heracles had many other children by various women, both mortal and divine. A few notable ones:
- Telephus – son of Auge, a priestess of Athena; he became king of Mysia and was later healed by Achilles’ spear.
- Tlepolemus – son of Astyoche (or Astydameia); he led the Rhodians in the Trojan War, as told in Homer’s Iliad (2.653–670).
- Hyllus (already mentioned) – by Deianira, but also sometimes said to be son of Melite, a nymph.
- Famous daughters – Macaria, who sacrificed herself for the Heracleidae, and possibly others.
Heracles also had a relationship with the Lydian queen Omphale, to whom he was sold as a slave for a year as punishment for killing Iphitus. They had a son, Agelaus (or Lamus), from whom the Lydian dynasty of Croesus claimed descent. With the serpent-tailed goddess Echidna, he fathered the Scythian ancestor Scythes, according to Herodotus (4.8–10).
Divine Children and the Heracleidae
Some of Heracles’ children were worshipped as heroes or became ancestors of royal lines. The Heracleidae, his descendants through Hyllus, were the legendary founders of the Dorian states. They conquered the Peloponnese in the “Return of the Heracleidae,” a myth that explained the historical Dorian invasion. The kings of Sparta, including the Agiad and Eurypontid dynasties, claimed descent from Heracles through Hyllus and his sons. The historian Herodotus (7.204) says the Spartan kings traced their lineage to Heracles.
Heracles was also said to have a son, Palaemon, by a daughter of Thespius, and Eurytus by a daughter of Eurytus of Oechalia. The Thespiades, the fifty daughters of King Thespius, each bore a son by Heracles in one night (or over several nights), as told by Pseudo-Apollodorus. These sons were sent to Sardinia, where they became the ancestors of the Iolaeians.
Adopted Children and Other Kin
Heracles also had an adopted son, Hylas, a young man who accompanied him on the Argo and was abducted by nymphs in Mysia. Hylas is not a biological child but is often included in family discussions because of his close relationship with Heracles. Another figure, Abderus, was Heracles’ squire and eromenos (beloved); he was killed by the mares of Diomedes, and Heracles founded the city of Abdera in his memory.
Heracles’ half-brother was Iphicles, the son of Amphitryon and Alcmene, born the same night. Iphicles was mortal and the father of Iolaus, who became Heracles’ charioteer and companion. Iolaus is often called Heracles’ nephew, and he was the one who helped him defeat the Lernaean Hydra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Heracles’ parents?
His mother was Alcmene, a mortal princess of Mycenae, and his father was Zeus, who came to her in the guise of her husband Amphitryon. Amphitryon himself was Heracles’ legal father and raised him.
How many children did Heracles have?
Ancient sources vary widely. Pseudo-Apollodorus lists about ten sons by name, but the Thespiades alone produced fifty sons, one for each daughter of King Thespius. With his wives Megara and Deianira, he had at least seven sons, plus daughters like Macaria.
Did Heracles have any daughters?
Yes, though they are less often mentioned. The most famous is Macaria, who voluntarily sacrificed herself to ensure the Heracleidae’s victory, as told in Euripides’ Heracleidae. Other daughters are occasionally named, but their stories are not widely preserved.
Who was Heracles’ first wife?
Megara, the daughter of King Creon of Thebes. They married after Heracles saved Thebes, and they had several sons, whom Heracles killed in a fit of madness sent by Hera. Megara herself was also killed in that episode.
What happened to Heracles’ children after his death?
His son Hyllus married Iole and led the Heracleidae in their attempts to reclaim the Peloponnese. After several generations, the Heracleidae succeeded and founded the Dorian kingdoms, including Sparta. The royal houses of Sparta traced their ancestry to Heracles through Hyllus.
Was Heracles related to Perseus?
Yes, he was the great-grandson of Perseus and Andromeda through his mother Alcmene (daughter of Electryon, son of Perseus) and his legal father Amphitryon (son of Alcaeus, another son of Perseus). This made him a descendant of Zeus on both sides, since Perseus was also a son of Zeus.
Related
- Thunderbird Native American Mythology Explained
- Maris in Etruscan Mythology: God of Growth
- Roman Mythology Trivia: 40+ Surprising Facts
How pages are sourced and corrected: Sources and editorial policy.