Photo: Statue of Hercules Found in Israel

Courtesy: Israel Antiquities Authority

Archaeologists have found a rare statue of Hercules in Israel.  Below is an excerpt from an article published in Haaretz:

A marble statue of Hercules dating back to the second century C.E. has been found in an archeological dig in northern Israel, Israel’s Antiquities Authority announced on Monday. The statue, approximately a meter and half tall, was probably part of the decoration of a bathhouse pool.

The statue depicts Hercules leaning on a club, with the skin of the Nemean lion hanging from it. Hercules killed the monstrous lion as the first of the twelve “Labors of Hercules.” Archeologist Walid Atrash of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the statue is a rare and high-quality discovery.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary