Statue of Hercules
Located near the Bistun monument in Kermanshah, the Statue of Hercules dates back to the Parthian and Seleucid eras. It is a rare surviving piece from these historical periods. Sadly, some historical artifacts were damaged during construction work. The statue of Hercules is registered with UNESCO and is a national treasure of Iran.
History
The discovery of the statue of Hercules was accidental in 1950 during the construction of the Kermanshah to Hamadan road by a road company. Unfortunately, cultural heritage did not have a strong position at that time, and there were many efforts to halt the road construction project. To make more discoveries, the road route was diverted from the historical complex of Bistun. It is believed that the statue was constructed in 153 BC, during the middle of the reign of Mithridates I of Parthia (9th year, 174-136 BC). The statue depicts a naked man with curly hair and a beard, holding a cup in his hand, lying on his side on the skin of a lion, and leaning on the elbow of his other hand. The figure is placed on a 2.20-meter-long platform and is 1.47 meters in length. It is made of mountain stones that were cut and connected to the mountain from the back. Behind the statue of Hercules are carved reliefs that show an olive tree with traces of arrows and bows on its branches. Next to the tree is a cone-shaped mace that stands out more than the rest of the images. In addition to all these motifs, there is an inscription in Greek script written on a tablet similar to Greek temples with dimensions of 43 x 33 meters in seven lines.
