Hercules iuxta Patavium

The case of Hercules at Abano, in the environs of Padua, is generally considered an example of an epichoric cult rooted in very ancient times. The hero would in this context have a particular connection to an oracular cult of Geryon, within the space of a sacred area dedicated to Aponus and which was characterised by the presence of thermal waters. This paper opens with an essential treatment of the status quaestionis before offering a critical assessment of available documentation and evidence, highlighting aspects which remain obscure and proposing an alternative explanation for the atypical association of mythological figures at the heart of this cult.