Greek Goddess Nike, a Symbol of Victory and Coins

 

In ancient Greek civilization, Nike (pronounced Naiki), or Victory was a goddess who personified victory. Her Roman equivalent was Victoria. Nike is the daughter of the Titan Pallas and the goddess Styx and sister of Kratos (strength), Bia (Force) and Zelus (Zeal). In some other sources, Nike was described as the daughter of Ares, the god of war.

The first appearance of Nike as a coin type is at Olympia about 510 BC, where she symbolizes victory

                                              

Goddess Nike, gold Stater, 317 BC, Babylon mint

Nike and siblings were close companions of Zeus, the dominant deity of the Greek pantheon. According to myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when the god was assembling allies for the Titanomachy against the older deities. Nike assured the role of the divine charioteer, a role in which she often portrayed in classical Greek art. Nike flew around battlefields rewarding the victors with glory and fame, symbolized by a wreath of laurel leaves.

                                             

Earliest known stone statue of Nike, found in Delos, about 550 BC, (National Archaeological Museum of Athens)

                                            

Stone carving of Goddess Nike at the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, Turkey 

Sculptures of Nike were extremely common in Ancient Greece and used in public spaces of many categories as well as in temples of Gods. She was often seen as a miniature sculpture in the hand of Athena and Zeus.

                                           

                              Nike at Taq Bostan, Iran

                                           

                                           

The Athena statue in front of the Austrian Parliament, her right hand carries goddess Nike                                          

                                             

The Athena statue in front of the Austrian Parliament, her right hand carries goddess Nike . Close up

 

Nike was also depicted with famous athletes, symbolizing their victories. In public places and temples, she was depicted in sculpture to commemorate victories in war and competitions. However, only a few sanctuaries dedicated solely to Nike are mentioned like the one in Olympia and a temple in Athens

                                           

Nike sculpture from a bronze vessel, made in a Greek city of southern Italy 490 BC, in the British Museum, London

                                                 

        Temple of Athena Nike, built around 420 BC

Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings, with the most famous being the Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre

                                               

Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre, a marble sculpture of Nike created about 2nd century BC, 96 inches in height

Nike was very close to Athena and is thought to have stood in Athena's outstretched hand in the statue at the Parthenon. Nike is most commonly portrayed figures on Greek coins.  After victory at the Battle of Marathon, Athenians erected the Nike of Callimachus

                                             

The remnants of the 4.68-meter monument has been affixed to a metal column that holds various parts in place. It is built so that additional fragments might be attached if they are found

    

                                                

A short distance from the Monument stands a copy showing archaeologists' best estimate of what the monument might have looked like when it was intact

Monuments of this winged goddess are found all over Europe and around the world.

Coins with Nike the goddess

                                         

Silver Stater struck in 460 BC, probably the 79th or 80th Olympiad, featuring an eagle flying left and on reverse Nike running with a wreath, presumably to crown an Olympic victor.

                                         

Tetradrachm, silver, Greek 305-281 BC, weight 17.2 gm (kingdom of Thrace)

Obverse: Head of Alexander right wearing ram's horn

Reverse:   Athena seated left with Nike in outstretched right hand crowning inscription with wreath, spear resting behind, left arm resting on shield               

                                           

Indo Parthian Tetradrachm, Nike type, 1st century CE, weight 8.26 gm

Obverse: Head of king left star behind

Reverse: Winged Nike standing right holding diadem, monogram left and right, maharajasa rajatirajasa mahatasa pakurasa

                                            

Pamphylia, Tetradrahm, Athena/Nike, 145-125 BC, weight 16.4 gm

Obverse: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet

Reverse: Nike standing left, holding wreath, in left field pomegranate.

                                           

Drachm depicting Nike, facing right, 216-203 BC, on reverse is God Pan holding spear and a staff. weight 4.6 gm. Origin Terina, Italy

 

                                            

Greek city Laodikeia ad Mare in Seleukis and Pieria, 76-49 BC, weight 3 gm

Bust of Tyche right

Nike facing left holding wreath and palm

                                             

Gold tater, Alexander, 330-320 BC

Obverse: Alexander, head of Athena, wearing crested Corinthian helmet

Reverse: Nike with arm outstretched holding a wreath and in left hand a ship's mast symbolizing victory at sea

                                              

Indo-Greek, Menander I, (155-130 BC), weight 9.6 gm

Obverse: Helmeted bust of Athena right, Greek legend on three sides

Reverse: Winged Nike standing right, holding wreath and palm, Kharoshthi legend on three sides

                       

                                           

Kujula Kadphises Kushan coin 30-80 CE, Nike is the divine charioteer often accompanies and flies behind the King's head with a diadem in her right hand

                                 

                                                                                       

Ten Dollars,Republic of Sierra Leone, 2004 depicting Nike with a wreath in left hand

The sports company Nike, Inc, is renamed after the Greek goddess Nike (in 1978) and has the famous Swoosh logo. The logo was designed in 1971  

Since 1928, the obverse face of every Olympic medal bears Nike figure holding a palm frond in her right hand and a winner's laurel crown in her left  

                                          

The reverse has the Goddess of victory Nike depicted, stepping out from the Panathenaic stadium in Athens, home to the first Olympics in 1896

Stamps. A number of countries have since long issued postage stamps depicting Goddess Nike

                                               

                                              

                                                

French 30c postage stamp depicting Winged Victory of Samothrace, Louvre

                                                

                                          

Syrian Arab Republic Stamps depicting ancient statue of goddess Nike

References

London Museum

Artic.education

Wikipedia

NGC coins

Britannica