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How did Heracles become both a Greek hero and a god?

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Painting by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo showing crowds pulling the large wooden Trojan Horse into the city of Troy, with excited figures and ancient buildings in the background. — Greek mythology Oil on canvas by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, c. 1760; in the National Gallery, London.

In Greek mythology, Heracles is regarded as both a legendary hero and a god due to his dual nature as a mortal of the prehistoric city of Tiryns and his subsequent elevation to divinity.1

As a hero, Heracles was the son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. Throughout his life, he endured the vengeful persecution of Hera and performed the famous Labours of Hercules as penance for a fit of madness in which he killed his family.2

His transition to godhood occurred following his death. After being poisoned by a garment smeared with the blood of the Centaur Nessus, Heracles was placed on a funeral pyre on Mount Oeta. The fire consumed his mortal remains, while his divine essence ascended to heaven. Once in the realm of the gods, he was reconciled with Hera and married Hebe. This myth of his demise and elevation is closely linked to his cult worship, where he was venerated for his strength and ability to rescue others from danger.21