The Winged Goddess of Victory, Nike personifies victory in battle and in peaceful competition throughout the ancient times. She is related to goddess Athena, and sometimes depicted as sitting on Athena’s arm.

According to the Greek mythology, she is the daughter of Pallas the Titan, and Styx the river. Her siblings are Strength (Cratos), Force (Bia) and Zeal (Zelus). That gives us an idea about how to achieve victory: with strength, force and zeal.

In Greek mythology, there is only one myth about Nike: When the Olympian gods fight against the Titans in Gigantomachia (War of the Giants), Styx brings her children into the service of Zeus. Nike is chosen as the charioteer, and she is usually depicted as driving the chariot of Zeus. Apart from this myth, she doesn’t have any other mythology of her own.

Nike always flies around battlefields bringing victory to those deserving it. In Roman mythology, she is named as Victoria.

You can see the relief of Nike carrying the wreath of glory in her hands in the Domitian Square, close to the Memmius Monument.