Hercules Unchained

Written and directed by Pietro Francisci, 1960.

While negotiating peace between two brothers contesting the throne of Thebes, an amnesiac Hercules is seduced by the evil Queen Omphale.

Starring Steve Reeves as Hercules, Sylva Koscina as Iole (his bride) and Sylvia Lopez as Queen Omphale of Lydia.

Omphale kills her lovers in some strange ritual to preserve their 'essence' for eternity, and her soldiers are cruel and vicious.

"Omphale is mostly portrayed as some sort of tragic character more than an all out villainness. Still there's no denying the statuesque Queen had deadly plans for Hercules."

In the original story, Omphale buys Hercules from Hermes as her slave whom she them dresses up as a woman and puts to work holding a basket of wool for the ladies as they spin it.

The Giant of Marathon

Directed by Jacques Tourneur, Bruno Vailati and Mario Bava, 1959.

A sword and sandal film, loosely based on the Battle of Marathon.

Starring Steve Reeves as Philippides, Mylène Demongeot as Andromeda and Sergio Fantoni as
Theocritus.

Mylène Demongeot, as Andromeda

Inspired by big-budget Hollywood movies about the ancient world, Italian film makers started producing their own movies based on ancient history and mythology.