Temple of Heracles, Ancient Greek temple in Valle dei Templi, Italy

The Temple of Heracles is an ancient Greek temple in the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento, built in the archaic Doric style on a rocky spur by Villa Aurea. It is a peripteros measuring 67 by 25.34 metres, with six columns on the front and fifteen on the sides, set on a three-step crepidoma. Nine columns of the south-west side were re-erected in the 20th century; the remains of the large altar lie on the eastern side.

The temple is generally dated to the final years of the 6th century BC, making it the oldest of the Akragantine temples, though some scholars link it to Theron (tyrant 488–473 BC) and identify it with the temple of Athena mentioned by Polyaenus. Its foundation is placed before the Battle of Himera of 480 BC. It was restored in the Roman period, when the naos was divided into three, and nine columns were re-erected by anastylosis in the 20th century.

The name comes from Cicero, who wrote of a temple with a famous statue of Heracles 'not far from the forum'; the identification with this building is a modern attribution, not ancient certainty. Excavations in the 19th century, led by Domenico Antonio Lo Faso Pietrasanta, uncovered a marble torso of a struggling figure, and Ernesto De Miro later found a helmeted head he believed matched it.

The site sits within the Valley of the Temples, which is a large open area with little shade, so wearing sun protection and sturdy shoes makes the visit more comfortable. Walking around the full perimeter of the ruins is straightforward and gives a clearer sense of the overall scale than viewing from one side only.

The temple's front faces east, possibly aligned to catch the rising sun at the equinox. Excavations also brought to light a marble torso of a struggling figure; Ernesto De Miro identified what he took to be its matching helmeted head.