Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Nike noun origin: Greek , pronounced: (/n. The roman counterpart of Nike is the goddess, Victoria. Since 1945, the goddess has also been used by the U.S. Anti Aircraft Missle System. When she is pictured with the Staff of Hermes, this means that one of Nikes roles was to serve as a messenger from the gods. He declared that any god that chose to align with him against Kronos would receive his honor and favor. One of them, Nike adjusting her sandal, known as "The Sandal Binder" depicts the goddess draped in figure-revealing wet fabric. Nike was the Goddess of victory, the ancient Greeks prayed for her protection in times of war and when for they embarked on long journeys. All these details suggest Nike is appearing and making a graceful descent to the earth rather than dashing sideways into view. According to Laughy, ancestral practice played a key role in how Athenian cultic rituals and sacrifices were performed. This statue was made of Thasian marble and showed the goddess standing almost completely straight with a slight lean forwards to indicate Nike's downward and slight forward alighting motion. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-nike-1525981. Trajan Roman Emperor Accomplishments, Facts & Death | Who was Trajan? 37 chapters | He also runs a blog This City Knows. [48] The three votive processions on the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike display this relationship between Athena and Nike. According to Sikes, Nike was worshipped as a facet of Athena because Athena was Athens's patron goddess and thus held greater power in her own city and acropolis. Nike was the goddess representing victory. By the classical period, many of these early gods and goddesses had been reduced to the role of attributes or aspects of the leading gods, much as the pantheon of Hindu gods are symbolic aspects of the main gods. The four siblings were companions of Zeus, and Nike had the role of the divine charioteer, flying above battlefields and giving glory to the victors. Nike, Inc. is named after a Greek goddess, Nike the goddess of victory. Navigating Nike# Nike is a crushing new Greek warrior every bit as comfortable on the frontlines as Bellona or Amaterasu. She was known to be victorious, quick on her feet, and contained strength unrecognizable by man. [7] Thus, the two goddesses merged into one to form the Athena Nike personality. Regarding death, it is believed that when Nike possessed the Staff of Hermes, she had the ability to resurrect dead people. Nike is the Goddess of Speed, Strength and Victory in Greek Mythology. His original idea for the brand name supposedly was Dimension 6. During the Titanomachy conflict, she was the chief charioteer. In an alternative story, recorded by Homer, she is the daughter of Ares, Zeus's son and the Olympian god of war - but the tales of Nike probably predates stories of Ares by millennia. I feel like its a lifeline. She was also the goddess of spring growth, who was worshipped alongside her mother Demeter in the Eleusinian Mysteries. Nike is named after a woman - the Greek goddess of victory- but for most of . The reason why astronomers named it after Styx was because the nymph is typically associated to the River Styx the river that divides the living world from the underworld. Answer (1 of 9): The name originated with Nike's employee #1, Jeff Johnson. The goddess Nika is the goddess of victory, the daughter of Titan Pallant and Styx, the Akkadians believed that she was brought up with the daughter of Zeus Athena Pallada. Her laurel trophy is probably where we get the phrase 'resting on your laurels.'. Nike, ("Neekee" or "Nikay") is the Greek word for victory. To this end, the name of Nike was invoked by . In Greek mythology, Nike was the Greek personification of "victory". In 'Nike and War' we understand the myth of Ares, God of War, and how he relates to Nike, Goddess of Victory. The straight lines of her garments imply weightiness and the pull of gravity during her gentle descent. Any time Nike was sculpted, she had wings. In Greek mythology, Nike (/naki/ (listen); Ancient Greek: , lit. Athena Nike was always wingless. [50], The cult of Athena Nike was functioning as early as the beginning of the sixth century. Alongside her mother and siblings, Nike joined Zeus in his war against the Titans. Nike is often depicted with the following symbols, considered sacred to her. Though the design has changed quite a bit in the years since the 1928 Olympics, Nike has since been a mandatory part of the design in order to symbolize the triumphs and victories of the Olympic athletes. In its 30-year history, Nike ahs become the undisputed leader in sports marketing, but beneath the success was an Achilles' heel. She was closely connected to Zeus and Athena, but wasn't a very common goddess in the Greek myths. According to this theory, Nike eventually broke off from Athena to form her own distinct personality. The design was changed after Brazil won 3 out of 4 World Cups in a row because, as per FIFA regulations, the trophy was theirs to keep permanently. Nike's resilience and determination made her recognizable throughout her time, eventually naming her a Goddess. God of health and medicine. [32] In the Archaic period of ancient Greek sculpture Nike often appears in a "kneeling run" pose or "knielaufen" pose with her head turned to the side to look at the viewer as her body swiftly rushes forward. Omissions? Lesson Summary. According to some ancient Greek texts, Nike was regarded as the daughter of. When the 1928 Olympic design was made, it featured Nike. As mentioned previously, she is often winged in order to symbolize her strength and agility. Link will appear as Nike: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net - Greek Gods & Goddesses, February 9, 2017, Greek Gods and Goddesses 2010 - 2023 | About | Contact | Sitemap | Privacy. Fragments of Nike's face, forearms, and wings are missing, however, pieces of her wings can still be seen attached to her shoulders. One of the most prominent sculptures depicting this deity is Nike of Samothrace, dated to the period between 424 and 203 BC. What is Global Warming? Athena Nike was always wingless. [39], During the Classical period, statuettes of Nike were often placed in the hands of larger deities. Copy. BuzzFeed Staff.. God. 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In 'Athena's Birth Story' we learn . Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. As an attribute of both Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and the chief god, Zeus, Nike was represented in art as a small figure carried in the hand by those divinities. She assumes the role of the divine charioteer, a role in which she is often portrayed in Classical Greek art. Custom Winged VICTORY of SAMOTHRACE miniature GREEK goddess sculpture replicad. [6] At Athens, Nike became a servant to Athena as well as an attribute of her due to the prominent status Athena held in her patron city. Nike is most commonly symbolized by the laurel wreath. In some Indo-European languages, the name came from Neik which means to attack or to start something strongly. Nike alone was winged. She is often seen seated beside Zeus on Mount Olympus. By classical times, she was the only goddess who still had them. While Nike's forearms and wings are missing the sockets for attaching her wings can be seen on her back. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. [36] At her feet an eagle is shown to fly to the viewer's left as Nike moves forward with left leg stepping down to touch the earth. 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[27] In Bacchylides Ode 12 Nike encourages Teisias of Aegina to compete in the wrestling matches at Nemea. - Mythology, Overview, AP World History - Hellenism and Athenian Philosophy: Help and Review, AP World History - The Rise of the Roman Republic: Help and Review, AP World History - The Fall of the Roman Empire: Help and Review, AP World History - The Dark Ages: Help and Review, AP World History - Early Middle Ages: Help and Review, AP World History - The Medieval Warm Period: Help and Review, AP World History - The High Middle Ages: Help and Review, AP World History - Asia, Africa & America (1000-1300 CE): Help and Review, AP World History - The Late Middle Ages: Help and Review, AP World History - The Renaissance: Help and Review, AP World History - The Age of Exploration: Help and Review, AP World History - The Reformation Across Europe: Help and Review, AP World History - Imperialism: Help and Review, AP World History - The Elizabethan Era: Help and Review, AP World History - The Enlightenment: Help and Review, AP World History - Political, Technological & Intellectual History: Help & Review, AP World History - Colonialism: Help and Review, AP World History - World War I: Help and Review, AP World History - World War II: Help and Review, AP World History - The Cold War: Help & Review, AP World History - Major 20th Century Events: Help & Review, AP World History - A Globalized World - 1980 & Beyond: Help and Review, Portions of the AP World History Exam: Help and Review, AP World History Exam Essay Writing: Help and Review, Essay Writing Your AP World History Exam: Help & Review, Empires & Inventions of the Ancient Near East, Global Conflict & Developments Since 1945, Middle School US History: Help and Review, SAT Subject Test World History: Tutoring Solution, SAT Subject Test US History: Tutoring Solution, Middle School World History: Homeschool Curriculum, Robert McNamara & the Cuban Missile Crisis, Primary Source: Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Medal of Honor Recipient Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, Cartesian Rationalism vs. Lockean Rationalism, Rational Ignorance vs. But, by far, her large wings are her greatest attribute. On that shield of hers, the goddess inscribed the names of the winners in a battle. She and her siblings were close companions ofZeus. She was the patron goddess of Athens, defended many beloved heroes, and even fought alongside the Greeks in the Trojan War. ", Olga, Palagia. [23] By assaulting Typhon with fire and ice, Zeus was able to defeat the monster and claim victory over the Titans. Zeus and the Olympians eventually won the battle. The Origin of the Goddess Nike . 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. [13] In another source, Homeric Hymn 8, Ares the God of War is portrayed as the "father of warlike Victory. Pallas and Oiles had 4 children and then Pallas had Athena with Oiles's sister, Metis. NIKE (Nic) was the winged goddess of victory-victory both in war and in peaceful competition. In 'The Swoosh Story' we chart the history of the world's most recognizable brand: Nike Inc. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Zeus escaped as a child, and when he grew older, he fed his father a mixture of wine and mustard to cause him to throw up, releasing all of Zeus' siblings. [32] An example of a transitional phase in movement from the "kneeling run" to the alighting and striding pose is Paionios's statue of Nike discovered in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. To understand the meaning of the Nike logo, we should look to the Ancient Greeks and their deity Nike, the actual goddess of victory, often portrayed with wings. Overall, it is likely that Persephone had a complex and nuanced view of herself, recognizing both her strengths and weaknesses and working to overcome her challenges and make the most of her . One of the most celebrated representations of the Goddess of Victory was the magnificent 5 th century BC statue of Zeus at Olympia. [40] Pheidias's cult statue of Athena from the Parthenon in Athens also held a smaller Nike statuette in one hand and a spear in the other. The 1928 Olympics took place in Amsterdam, and it was here that the first Olympic medals with an illustration of Nike were presented. In Greek Mythology, Nike was the Goddess of speed, strength and victory. "[46], In Athens Nike was often honored alongside Athena or as an attribute of Athena, where she was called Athena Nike. 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. Nike is also associated with having wings and providing victors with a wreath of laurel leaves. She would remark about the logo: I never got tired of looking at it.. The logo is derived from goddess' wing,'swoosh', which symbolises the sound of speed, movement, power and motivation. There are many interesting facts and modern-day ties to Nike. Its symbol, the famous swoosh, was inspired by the flying goddess. "The Story of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory." "The Story of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory." [4] In Greek literature Nike is described as both an attribute and attendant to the gods Zeus and Athena. Many temples in honour of the goddess could be seen throughout Rome. Nike (shoe company) has been manufacturing sports equipment since 1978. https://www.thoughtco.com/greek-mythology-nike-1525981 (accessed January 18, 2023). [32] This slight forward and downward motion is illustrated in the Capitoline Nike (460 BCE) from Magna Grecia. When Nike is portrayed alone, it is an unwritten rule that she has wings as well as a palm branch, usually held in the right hand. Angerona. She also carries a wreath, to always be prepared to crown a winner, either of some battle or a game of sport. She also has a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) Certificate and experience leading university-level classes in several subjects. Goddess. [8] This lineage is also supported by the Bibliotheca where "Nice, Cratos, Zelos, and Bia" are described as the children of the Titans Pallas and Styx. Nike, described as Victory, led Zeus into battle as Eris, Strife, led Typhon. In Roman Mythology, Nike was known as Victoria, after Greece fell to the Roman Empire. Although Nike is considered a modern household name, the name itself actually refers to a Greek goddess. If you are wondering if there is more meaning besides the denotations and the sound mimic, yes, there is. The Story of Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory. In 'Nike and Ethics' we delve in to the lives of Aristotle and his prodigious student, Alexander the Great. The goddess Nike was the goddess of victory in Ancient Greece. ThoughtCo. Nike was the Greek goddess of victory and was very revered and respected in Ancient Greece. [17] For Styx he gave her the honor of being "the great oath of the gods"[17] For her children Zeus granted them his eternal favor by allowing them "to dwell with him for all time. She became a resident of Olympus after assisting Zeus in the Titan War, and she had the important duty of being the divine charioteer for both Zeus and Athena. Created about 200 B.C., it is one of the most famous sculptures in the world. The Nike. 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. Explore her symbol and story as a goddess in Greek mythology, and learn how the goddess Nike is still important today. Nike herself is posed atop a globe, which is acting as the base. 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