Nike: The Goddess of Victory - Mythology Dictionary - See U in History

Nike is the goddess of victory in Greek mythology. She is the daughter of the Titan Pallas and the Styx, having as brothers Kratos, the strength, Zelos, which represented rivalry and greatness, and Bea, the force. With her brothers, the goddess of victory fought alongside the Olympian gods during the Titanomachy, the war between the gods and the Titans, and also provided assistance to Zeus during his fight against Typhon. Already in the Gigantomachy, the goddess drove Zeus' chariot during the clash against the giants. The goddess is depicted as a winged figure, wielding a sword and holding a laurel crown, and making use of the latter, the goddess elected the winners. Nike personified victory in battles, the success in athletic games, and also in equestrian competitions. The goddess Athena is often depicted with a small statue of the goddess of victory in her left hand, and most successes of Athena would be justified by the fact that the goddess Nike was always by her side. In Roman mythology, the goddess Nike is known by the name of Victoria. She was worshipped by soldiers of the Roman legions, who begged for her in the battlefields. Her popularity was so vast that a statue of the goddess of victory had a prominent spot in the Roman senate. When Rome adopted Christianity, the goddess of victory started to be worshipped as an angelic figure. In turn, the athletes of antiquity made sacrifices in honor of the goddess so that Nike could grant them victory and glory. In the modern Olympic games, the goddess' image is found on the back of the medals. The goddess of victory served as inspiration for the name of one of the most famous manufacturers of sporting goods. Today, statues of the goddess ornament several squares and monuments all over the world. But, certainly, Nike's most famous statue is the winged victory of Simothrace. It is estimated that the statue was carved in the 2nd century BC, and today it is part of the Louvre Museum in Paris. Albeit worn down by time, one can still feel the magnificence of the image of the goddess of victory.