NIKE
Roman Name - Victoria

click on thumbnail for the big picture

Nike is the winged goddess of Victory and she can run and fly at great speed. She was represented in statues and paintings as a woman with wings, dressed in a billowing robe with a wreath or staff.

Even though Nike is one of the oldest ancient Greek goddesses, predating even the great Olympians, she doesn't figure prominently in any myths, which is rather odd.

Nike is very often found in the company of the goddess Athena, who never puts up with defeat. Not surprisingly, she is also frequently portrayed seated next to Zeus, the King of the Olympians, or even being held by him in his open palm (see first picture).

It was natural for the ancient Greeks to associate Victory with Zeus and Athena...after all, these two powerful deities were not accustomed to losing.

Nike fought on the side of Zeus in his famous battle against the Titans, and assisted him in gaining victory over his rivals. As a result of this epic battle, Zeus gained control of Mount Olympus and became the supreme Olympian. The Nike of Samothráki, or Winged Victory (Louvre Museum, Paris), is widely acknowledged as one of the finest pieces of Hellenistic sculpture (see last picture).

There are three versions of Nike's parentage:

1) Pallas 1 & Styx...Pallas 1 is son of the Titan Crius and Eurybia, daughter of Pontus & Gaia, Mother Earth. Styx is a daughter of Oceanus, and a prominent river in the Underworld.

2) Ares & unknown...Ares is the god of war.

3) Pallas 2 & unknown...Pallas 2 is son of impious Lycaon, who offended the gods and was responsible for raising Athena according to some ancient writers. 

Nike lives on Mount Olympus with her brothers Zelus (also known as Zelos), Cratos and Bia. To better understand Nike, take a closer look at her siblings:

Zelus ("Zeal") is the personification of zeal or emulation. He is the son of Styx and the Titan Pallas and is the constant companion of Zeus. Cratos ("Strength") is the ancient Greek personification of strength and power. Like his other siblings, he is a constant and vigilant companion of Zeus. Bia ("Force") is the personification of power and force. Bia was most famous for being the one who was made to bind Prometheus as punishment from Zeus for stealing fire from the gods and delivering it to humans on earth.

There was nothing sweeter for the ancient Greeks than to taste the sweet fruits of Victory, be it in war, in love or in athletics. This is a passion which survives to this day, and the thrill of Victory is one of the best feelings in the world.

Many modern companies have taken their name from Greek Mythology, in an effort to present a certain image. It is little wonder that the famous company Nike took its name from the goddess of Victory...Who wouldn't want to associate their product with winning?

Hey, I bet you if Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan lived in Ancient Greece, they'd be Nike's best friends...:)

Zeus & Nike

Nike statue

Nike statue

Nike Logo

Egyptian Mythology's Here!

Roman Mythology's Here!