Who is the goddess of victory?

Nike is the Greek goddess and personification of victory—her very name (Nikē) means “victory” in Greek. Often depicted with wings, she flies onto battlefields and athletic arenas to crown winners with a laurel wreath or palm branch. In myth, she frequently accompanies Zeus and Athena as a divine herald of triumph. By contrast, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, Artemis of the hunt and wilderness, and Demeter of agriculture and the harvest. To remember: Nike = victory—think of the winged goddess swooping in to announce success, and the famous “swoosh” echoing her swift movement. The Temple of Athena Nike on the Athenian Acropolis honors this link between strategy (Athena) and triumph (Nike).