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I. Name Heracles was undoubtedly the most popular mythical hero of ancient Greek mythology; he was also one of the most complex. Etymologically the name derives from Ἥρα (Hera) and κλέος (fame). Though he is explicitly mentioned only in 2 Macc. 2.19–20, there is evidence to suggest that Heracles traditions were incorporated into the cycle of Samson legends found in the Old Testament and in certain aspects of the depiction of Jesus in the Christology of Hebrews. II. Identity Ancient mythographers divided the exploits of Heracles into three groups: (1) The Twelve Labours ( athloi or erga)…

I. Name The term archōn, a participial form of the verb archein used as a substantive, carries the root meaning of primacy in time or rank. After the overthrow of the monarchies in the Greek city-states (ca. 650 bce), the term archōn, meaning ‘high official’ or ‘chief magistrate’, became widely used for a variety of high public officials. Originally it was primarily limited as a designation for the highest officials (Thucydides 1.126; Aristotle Ath. pol. 13, 10–12). A typical Greek polis had two or more magistrates ( archontes), a council ( boulē) and an assembly of the people ( dēmos); s…

I. Name The name Hēra (the form of her name in Mycenaean Greek is Era), perhaps a feminine form of the Greek noun hērōs (‘hero’, meaning ‘master’), or hōra (‘season’, see Pausanias 2.13.3), was genealogically linked with other Greek deities as the daughter of Kronos and Rhea (Hesiod, Th. 454), and sister of Zeus. While the name Hera itself does not occur in either the Bible or the Apocrypha, nevertheless the theophoric name Herakles (Heracles) does occur in 2 Macc. 2.19–20. This name is composed of two elements, ‘Hera’ and ‘-kles’. Though the -a-is problematic, since t…

I. Name The Gk. term archē, and its equivalent Lat. translation principium, carries the basic meaning of primacy in time or rank. It is an abstract term for power often used with the meaning ‘sphere of authority’, i.e. power which is wielded by someone in a position of political, social or economic authority, such as a public official ( Luke 20.20; Sib. Or. 5, 20, 153). In the singular or plural archē is sometimes paired with exousia with the meaning ‘office and authority’ (Plato Alcibiades 135a; Philo Leg. 71; Luke 12.11; Titus 3.1; Mart. Pol. 10:2). It is also paired with basileis, ‘kings’ ( P…