A Hellenistic Hercules

As well as the famous relief of Darius the Great at Bisitun, many other peoples have left their mark on the cliffs above the highway. One of the more serene is this depiction of Hercules from the Hellenistic Period when Iran was ruled by Greeks following the conquests of Alexander the Great. Here Hercules reclines with cup in hand. His club rests beside his feet and he lies on the back of a lion which has been formed from the natural rock beneath the statue.