What is the ancient Greek goddess Nike? Sculptures and temples

Perhaps today it is difficult to meet a person who knew nothing about Greek mythology and the gods mentioned in it. With the residents of Olympus we encounter in books, in cartoons and feature films. Today, the heroine of our story will be the winged goddess Nike. Offer to get acquainted with this Ancient inhabitant of mount Olympus.

Goddess Nike: description

In Greek mythology, her name sounds the same as «Nike». It represents the goddess of victory and is the daughter of the Titan Pallanta and monstrous creatures Styx, personifying the primeval horror. Nick was brought up along with one of the most revered in Greek mythology, goddesses of war and wisdom-Athena. She was a great ally of Zeus in his struggle with the giants and the titans. Greek goddess Nike is everywhere accompanied by Athena, helping her in her business. By the way, in Roman mythology she corresponds to Victoria.

What symbolizes nick?

This goddess is the personification of a happy outcome and a positive result in any case. Nick takes part not only in military operations but also in sports, music and religious events organized on the occasion of success. We can say that the nick rather symbolized the fact of the complete victory, rather than any actions and steps that led to it.

The image of the goddess

Often the heroine of Greek mythology, portrayed with wings and the pose of rapid movement over the surface of the earth. Essential attributes Nicknames are the headband and the wreath. Later they were joined by Palma, as well as a trophy and weapon. Sculptors usually portrayed this goddess party festival or ritual sacrifice, or the Herald of victory. While it often has an attribute of Hermes-a staff. The goddess of victory Nika that appears gently nodding his head to the winner, weightless hovering over it, as if crowning his head, then drives his chariot, stabs the animal during the sacrifice, is building a trophy of the weapons of the defeated enemy. Her sculptures are almost always accompanied by great sculptures of Zeus and Athena polias. They depict nick in the hand of the more important of the Olympian gods.

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Interesting facts

In honor of Nike was named opened in 1891, the asteroid. Also the winged goddess of victory dedicated to the Orphic hymn XXXIII. In addition, her name was taken as a basis when creating the names of American sports brand «Nike».

Church of Nicki Apteros

One of the largest extant place of worship of this goddess is located in the Acropolis of Athens. It is called "the Temple of Niki Apteros". Also sometimes it is called "the Temple of Niki Athens".

The Building is located on a steep hill on the right side of the main entrance (Propylaea). Here the local people have made the worship of the goddess in the hope that it will contribute to a positive outcome in the long war against the Spartans and their allies (Peloponnesian war).

Unlike the Acropolis, in which you could only enter through the main entrance, the sanctuary of the winged goddess was visible. This temple was built by the famous architect of Ancient Rome named Kallikrates during the period between 427 and 424 BC. Before this place was a sanctuary of Athena, which was destroyed by the Persians about 480 BC. The building is amphiprostyle – type of temple in Ancient Greece, both on the front and on the rear facade of which in one row there are four columns. The podium structure consists of three stages. Friezes decorated with sculptural reliefs depicting Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena, as well as scenes of military battles. Originals surviving fragments of these decorations to date are in the British Museum, in the Greek Church you can see a copy.

Like most of the Acropolis structures, Nicky temple was built of marble intelegentnogo. A few years after its construction the building was surrounded by a parapet in order to protect people from falls from a high cliff. Inside the temple housed the statue of Nike. In one hand she held a helmet (symbol of war), and the other – pomegranate (a sign of fertility). In contrast to the majority of received images, the statue did not have wings. This was done specifically in order to win never left the city walls. Actually, therefore, the structure was called the temple of Niki Aspires, that is, the wingless victory.

Nick Samothrace

This sculpture is another image of the Olympic goddess, has come down to us from ancient times. Its pieces of more than 200 pieces were brought to Paris from Greece by archaeologist Charles Champoiseau in 1863. Thanks to the hard work and efforts of the restorers of them revived the magnificent statue. Despite the fact that the goddess Nike has been deprived of arms and head, and one wing (which eventually was made of plaster), she conquered all lovers of the art and has been for many decades is one of the most valuable exhibits of the Louvre.