Skip to main content
Adventure Cult Classic

Babylon's fate hangs on Hercules' strength and three scheming siblings' ambitions.

HERCULES AND THE TYRANTS OF BABYLON

1964 · 1h 36m · G · Adventure / Fantasy · IMDB TMDB

Hercules fights to free the people of Babylon from an evil sorceress.

Quick Answer

What is Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon about?

Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon is a 1964 Italian adventure-fantasy film directed by Domenico Paolella about Hercules' quest to rescue a captive queen from the clutches of Babylon's treacherous rulers.

Programmer's Pick

Sword-and-sandal spectacle gets a campy polish in this Babylonian brawl, where every villain plots and every muscle gleams. Peter Lupus flexes as Hercules, but it's Helga Liné's scheming Taneal and a subterranean doomsday device that steal the show.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Queen Asparia of the Hellenes has been captured by Babylonian slavers, concealing her royal identity as she toils as a common slave. Hercules is dispatched to liberate her, his reputation as an unstoppable force spreading among the increasingly nervous Babylonians. Meanwhile, Babylon is ruled by three ambitious siblings—Taneal, Salman Osar, and Azzur—whose uneasy alliance is tested when King Phaleg of Assyria arrives, offering vast fortunes in exchange for Babylon's slave population. While Asparia secretly works to alert Hercules to her plight, the city becomes a powder keg of shifting loyalties and double-crosses. The stage is set for muscle-bound heroics, palace intrigue, and a battle for Babylon's future.

Details & Specs

Director
Domenico Paolella
Writers
Domenico Paolella, Luciano Martino
Release
1964
Runtime
1h 36m
Country
Italy
Language
Italian
Also Known As
Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus, Golia alla conquista di Bagdad

Why This Matters

This 1964 Italian sword-and-sandal film features Peter Lupus, credited as Rock Stevens, in the role of Hercules, reflecting the era's trend of casting American actors in European peplum productions.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

View all →
Director: Domenico Paolella Writers: Domenico Paolella +1 more

Why Cult

Campy Villainess Intrigue

Helga Liné's Taneal brings seductive plotting and a flair for the dramatic among Babylon's power-hungry siblings.

Beefcake Heroics

Peter Lupus as Hercules delivers classic feats of strength, from Greco-Roman wrestling to city-toppling stunts.

Babylonian Palace Politics

Three scheming rulers and a suspicious Assyrian king ensure the throne room drama is as thick as the oil on Hercules' muscles.

Psychotronic Peplum Style

A wild mix of camp, action, and fantasy, this film delivers all the ornate sets, oily skin, and over-the-top spectacle fans crave.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

When was Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon released? +

Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon was released in 1964.

Who directed Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon? +

Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon was directed by Domenico Paolella.

How long is Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon? +

The runtime of Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon is 96 minutes.

What genre is Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon? +

Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon is an adventure and fantasy film.

How does Hercules attempt to bring down the city of Babylon? +

Hercules locates a giant subterranean wheel that supports the foundation of Babylon and begins to turn it, threatening the city's destruction.

Trailers & Clips

Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon trailer
Official Trailer
Sign in to play