The Herakles Sarcophagus in Konya

In 1958, the Konya Herakles Sarcophagus was discovered in the ruins of the city of Pappa-Tiberiopolis in Beyşehir. It is dated to the years 220-260 AD.

The sarcophagus depicting the "Twelve Labors of Herakles" is considered the finest example of Herakles sarcophagi made in high relief technique found in Anatolia to date. It is currently exhibited at the Konya Archaeology Museum.

At the head of the sarcophagus, where two well-preserved human skeletons were found, Alkmene, the mother of Herakles, is depicted standing on the left. In the center, Pythia, the oracle, is portrayed sitting with a globe in her hand and a book of wisdom. On the right, the philosopher Prodicus is depicted.

On the other three sides, scenes depicting the Twelve Labors of Herakles are intricately detailed. These scenes unfold in the following order:

• Defeating the Nemean Lion,

• Killing the Hydra in the marsh of Lerna (the multi-headed serpent raised by the goddess Hera),

• Capturing the Ceryneian Hind, one of Artemis' sacred animals,

• Capturing the Erymanthian Boar that dwells on the Erymanthian mountain,

• Cleaning the Augean stables in a single day,

• Driving away the Stymphalian Birds that disturbed the people in Stymphalos,

• Traveling to Crete and bringing back the ferocious Cretan Bull given by Poseidon to King Minos,

• Capturing the four wild mares belonging to Diomedes, the King of Thrace,

• Taking the magical girdle from the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta,

• Stealing the cattle of the three-bodied giant Geryon, located on an island in the Ocean,

• Obtaining the golden apples of the Hesperides,

• Bringing the three-headed dog guarding the underworld, Cerberus, to the surface.