Nike - Myths and Facts. Every Olympic coin since 1928 has had an obverse with Nike - a palm frond in her right hand and a wreath of laurel in her left. Zeus is neither hesitant nor fearful and Nike makes no appearance to encourage or aid Zeus in the fighting.[25]. Anubis & Bastet | Hieroglyph, Form & Mythology, Hera, Queen of the Gods | Powers, Story & Myths, Mnemosyne Symbols, Daughters & Mythology | The Greek Goddess of Memory. She can pop up in plenty other instances too. Throughout her history, she has been allied with the most powerful gods in the Greek Pantheon. According to Laughy, ancestral practice played a key role in how Athenian cultic rituals and sacrifices were performed. Painters would represent Nike wearing a golden robe, as much as they would keep her wings as a symbol of her powers to reward or even dishonor a winner if proven the person is unworthy of such status. Nike and her three sisters, Zelus (Zeal/power), Bia(Force) and Kralas (Strength) were brought by Styx to Zeus to assist him in the great Titan battle whose ultimate goal was to gain control of Mount Olympus. [7] Thus, the two goddesses merged into one to form the Athena Nike personality. A famous statue of her, Winged Victory of Samothrace, can be seen at the Louvre in Paris, France. Its symbol, the famous swoosh, was inspired by the flying goddess. This decree proposed a plan for a new temple and priestess for Athena Nike. [57] While neither decrees specified the tenure of her office, Blok proposes that Myrrhine would have likely served for life since that was the tradition for Athenian women serving in cultic offices. As the goddess of speed, strength, and victory, Nike was a natural for a sports company. Nike, Zelos, Kratos, and Bia were brought into the god's service by their mother. [33] Richard Neer proposes that this posture with the running stance, wings, and flowing garments were meant to evoke the swift speed of the goddess. Hyperion in Greek Mythology: God of Light | Who is Hyperion? Worldhistoryedu is not responsible for the content of external sites. I want to tell her that he loved her more than anything. Aphrodite herself has sometimes been associated with some features of . All Rights Reserved. Nike alone is often depicted in Greek art winged and carrying a symbol of victory, such as a wreath or palm frond. It's considered one of the most erotic carvings on the Acropolis. In the war, Nike served him as a charioteer. Regula, deTraci. Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Among artistic representations of Nike are the sculpture by Paeonius (c. 420 bce) and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Nike noun origin: Greek , pronounced: (/n. Nike is often depicted with the following symbols, considered sacred to her. Agencies. "The Priestess of Athena Nike. Nike alone was winged. Davidson crafted the logo for an unbelievably small amount of money, just $35, and she even . Additionally, both of her feet are placed side by side in a standing pose rather than a striding pose. Nike alone was winged. It is unclear whether she originated from a character trait of the Greek goddess Athena or has always existed as an independent deity. Nike was the goddess representing victory. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. She usually has wings, but occasionally she is wingless, especially in some later statues and depictions of her, as the Greeks were afraid that if they gave her wings, she might fly away and leave them forever. Link will appear as Nike: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, February 9, 2017, Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy. Nike was a pretty simple goddess, so she didn't show up much in Greek mythology. Since Athena held greater power in Athens, she acquired some of the functions traditionally only Nike possessed as well as her title of Victory. Baudrillart, in another paper (as cited in Sikes, 1895), shares a similar view that Nike was once a part of Athena and separated from her around the 5th century. [45] He also mentioned the Temple of Athena Nike in Athens: "On the right of the gateway [of the Akropolis in Athens] is a temple of Nike Apteron (Wingless Nike). Of these, Nike was the most popular. Nike. I saw her - with Erichthonius, though I shouldn't know about him. Also known as Winged Goddess, Nike is most often pictured as having wings. [21] When in the morning Typhon again issued his challenge, Zeus gathered the clouds around himself for armor and answered the monster's threats. Goddess. As Nike is a brand dedicated to sportswear and sports equipment, the company decided being based on Nike, the Goddess of Victory, was a fitting choice. Pausanias noted that there was an altar solely to Nike in Olympia next to the altar of Zeus Purifier. [9] Her Roman equivalent was Victoria. It is thought to have been created on the island of Samothrace after a victory in a sea battle. Nike is most commonly symbolized by the laurel wreath. Nike was mainly known for her overwhelmingly positive traits, but she had an overwhelming desire to always win due to her title as the goddess of victory. The Greek pantheon of gods and goddesses features three waves of leading deities. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Nike became Zeus's charioteer. Nike's resilience and determination made her recognizable throughout her time, eventually naming her a Goddess. It came to him in a dream. [36] Additionally, Paionios's Nike has adopted a striding stance as opposed to a pinwheel-type running stance. The statue of Athena that once stood inside it was not winged. Any time Nike was sculpted, she had wings. The goddess Nike came to be an everlasting symbol . One of the most famous and important depictions of Nike is the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue, shown in the photo in the section "The Story of Nike the Goddess." 10 Fast Facts on Athena and Her Parthenon, The Twelve Olympian Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology, Fast Facts on Helios - Greek God of the Sun, Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love and Beauty. Pluto in ancient Roman mythology is the equivalent of Hades, the god of the underworld, i.e. Wings - Nike's wings symbolized her role as goddess of speed. They lived out their days in Olympus with Zeus, and Nike took on her role as divine charioteer for both Zeus and Athena. ", Blok, Josine (2014). Winged Victory Nike of Samothrace, Greek Goddess h 27,5 inch (70cm) - Hand patinated statue, Carrara marble cast, Made in Italy, Gift Idea. He is a graduate in Literature. Nike had three siblings: Zelos . Her mother was an Oceanid, a sea nymph, named Styx. In turn, the Olympians Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, and Aphroditedefeated them and became the leading gods. [16] Of the gods, Styx and her children were the first to declare their loyalty to Zeus and as a result Zeus granted her and her children his favor. [36] In this statue of Nike from the fifth century the goddess's alighting motion is towards the viewer as opposed to the sideways running motion of earlier statues. [12], In Greek mythology Nike, the personification of victory, has two possible origin stories. Nike, in ancient Greek religion, the goddess of victory, daughter of the giant Pallas and of the infernal River Styx. The Winged Victory of Samothrace Author: Lyoko88 CC BY-SA 4.0. We're all familiar with the Nike logo. In 1971, a Portland State University student named Carolyn Davidson would come up with probably one of the most recognizable logos of our times, the "Swoosh" logo of the U.S. athletic shoe and apparel company Nike. [52] For example, the priestess of Athena Polias was the heir of the aristocratic Eteoboutadai genos, since they controlled the priesthood for Athena Polias. [28] In both these examples Nike is associated with victory in an athletic competition rather than only a military competition. her most well known powers are: the ability to fly . Nike has become a common symbol in the modern sports world. This was symbolized by a wreath of bay leaves, a . DeTraci Regula is a freelance writer who has specialized in Greek travel and tours for 18 years. Nike has differing origin stories in two ancient texts. This statue of Nike was made of Parian marble and was dedicated to Zeus by the Messenians and Naupaktians around 420 BCE during the Classical period. The 1928 Olympics took place in Amsterdam, and it was here that the first Olympic medals with an illustration of Nike were presented. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Her three sibling deities represented the corresponding concepts of strength, force, and zeal. Because Nike is the Goddess of Victory, she was often portrayed flying around the battlefield and bestowing the laurel wreath to the victors of a battle in Ancient Greek art. Virginia SOL - World History & Geography to 1500: Test Prep & Practice, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, Praxis World & U.S. History - Content Knowledge (5941): Practice & Study Guide, ILTS Social Science - History (246): Test Practice and Study Guide, SAT Subject Test US History: Practice and Study Guide, NY Regents Exam - US History and Government: Test Prep & Practice, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Test Prep & Practice, AP European History: Homework Help Resource, Create an account to start this course today. In the mythological episodes that narrate the great Titan Wars, the conflicts after which the Olympians led by Zeus take over control of the world from the infamous Titans, Nike comes on the side of Zeus, and she helps him by being his principal chariot driver. But every single image depicts the range of products Unilever manufactures. But did you know that those shoes were actually named after a Greek goddess? Regarding death, it is believed that when Nike possessed the Staff of Hermes, she had the ability to resurrect dead people. The Nike logo is undoubtedly a simple design, composed only of two curved lines, but over the years those lines have generated billions for its owners. Nike was mentioned here and there as rewarding a hero with a wreath of laurel leaves or a reference was made to an Olympian having 'Nike's gift' or 'Nike's prize.' Those who came out victorious from their battles were often awarded a wreath of laurel leaves in ancient times. An example if this is in Ovid's Metamorphoses book 8 where the fate of the war between Megara and Crete hung in "suspense; so, Victory day by day between them hovered on uncertain wings. In Greek mythology, Nike was the winged daughter of Pallas and the river Styx. Flint has tutored mathematics through precalculus, science, and English and has taught college history. [48] The three votive processions on the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike display this relationship between Athena and Nike. The oldest artifact showing Nike can be further seen on Delos, a Greek island, and dated to sometime around 550 BC. The goddess Nike is the daughter of Pallas and Oiles, she was born regularly from her mother. The 2 goddesses are similar in many aspects, for example, both goddesses are winged deities. The company Nike, Inc. was named after the goddess. While the Greek word (nik) is of uncertain etymology, R.S.P. To fit with her existence as the goddess of victory, the meaning of Nike's name translates to "victory" in Ancient Greek. The Goddess of Victory and Zeus. Goddess. She served Zeus in the war against the Titans and afterward gave the victors of battles wreaths of laurel. Queen Victorias Father, the Duke of Kent, The Boston Massacre: The American Revolution, Staff of Hermes and the golden winged sandals, 15 interesting things you need to know about Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, Poseidon: Myths and Facts about the Greek God of the Sea, Greek God Hermes: Myths, Powers and Early Portrayals. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nike-Greek-goddess, Ancient Origins - Nike, Greek Goddess of Victory and Zeuss Charioteer of Glory, Nike - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology. The name was chosen because nike is the goddess of speed and victory. The logo is derived . [49] As a result of the merging of the two goddesses Athena Nike was worshipped as a goddess of victory in Athens, particularly military victory. After poring over and listening to this lesson, attempt to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. ", Parkin, Andrew. The name Nike was chosen by company founders because of her attributes of speed and victory. [42] However, there remains significant debate over whether the cult of Athena Nike in its earlier years had its own priestess, no priestess, or if it shared a priestess with a nearby cult. Thus, a break in custom to transfer religious authority from the genos to the state was exceptional for Athens during that time as it transformed the cult of Athena Nike into a polis-cult, a cult funded and overseen by the Athenian city-state. In Greek mythology, Nike (/ n a k i / (); Ancient Greek: , lit. Besides her wings, her strengths are her fast running ability and her skill as the divine charioteer. In 'The Swoosh Story' we chart the history of the world's most recognizable brand: Nike Inc. [1] She is often portrayed in Greek art as Winged Victory in the motion of flight;[2] however, she can also appear without wings as "Wingless Victory"[3] when she is being portrayed as an attribute of another deity such as Athena. Explore her symbol and story as a goddess in Greek mythology, and learn how the goddess Nike is still important today. "Nike and Athena Nike. Her role is almost always as a companion and helper of Zeus or Athena. She was also the goddess of spring growth, who was worshipped alongside her mother Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries. Nike: The ancient Greeks worshiped a pantheon of gods and goddesses. Due to her close relationship with both, she became their divine charioteer and is often depicted as such. See answer (1) Best Answer. Custom Winged VICTORY of SAMOTHRACE miniature GREEK goddess sculpture replicad. In Greek mythology, Nike is the Winged Goddess of Victory. 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