The Twelve Labors of Hercules, or Herakles, occupy a special place in the pantheon of Greek mythology, and in the worldview of the ancient Greeks.
Touching on the themes of madness, murder, and atonement, the Twelve Labors of Hercules exemplify a great many of the ancient beliefs of the Greeks about human nature, and even explain how the constellations and the Milky Way itself were formed.
Many areas in Greece, especially on the Peloponnesian Peninsula, are mentioned as part of the Labors he performed, and many of them today are recognized for the part they played in Greek mythology.
The mythological figure’s “Labors” are a series of feats carried out as penance for crimes he committed yet was not fully responsible for like so many other figures from Greek mythology.