Hercules excelled from the others at a very young age, when he killed two snakes with bare hands. Theseus was a strong child, too. His father placed a sword and a pair of shoes in a hallow and he covered them with a great stone. He wanted to see if his son Theseus could move that stone. If yes, then he is able to take over the kingdom.



At a very young age both characters became heroes by killing monsters and doing good to mankind. On his way to Athens Theseus killed many bandits and he also killed the Minotaur. Hercules was renamed after his strength and he was called a hero when he defeated the Minyans.

Of course they had some different characteristics as every person does. But these differences were important. Their intelligence level was like sky and ground, and their life experience differed, too. Theseus was at a higher level of his mental capabilities because he wanted a people’s government where all would be equal. Hercules was different: even if his feelings were strong, he always blamed himself for the way he acted.

During their long journey both heroes had different life experiences. The “strongest man on earth" engaged three times while Theseus married only two women. Theseus decided to dedicate his life for saving innocents and helping mankind. He knew how to treat people and how to understand people that supported him. Hercules always had to make up his fault. He got twelve labors, but he also killed innocent people by accident.

Why were they supported by different parts of Greece? Athens supported Theseus while Hercules was the Spartans favorite. Athens was the home of the thinkers, doctors and scientists. As Theseus acted after his mind, he was considered as one of them. Another reason why Athenians like him best is he never had to make labors like Hercules did many times.

Athenians didn’t like Hercules, because he was wild. The rest of Greece honored and admired wildness and strength. In Greek tradition, the boys were taken at the very young age for military practices and they were educated to kill there. As Hercules was strong and able to kill, Spartans considered him as one of them.