Why was the Athena Nike temple built?

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The Temple of Athena Nike is the smallest structure on the Athenian Acropolis, but holds no less importance than its neighboring shrines. Built to honor Athena Nike, the goddess of victory, the site upon which the temple was constructed has ceremonial roots that date back to the Bronze Age.



Simply so, when was the Athena Nike temple built?

427 BC

Beside above, who built the Temple of Athena Nike? Callicrates

Likewise, people ask, why did the ancient Greeks build a temple for Athena?

The privilege of entering the temple was reserved for the priestesses, who held a respected position in Greek society. As the name suggests, the temple housed the statue of Athena Nike, a symbol of victory. It probably had a connection to the victory of the Greeks against the Persians around half a century earlier.

Is Athena and Athena Nike the same?

Nike probably did not originally have a separate cult at Athens. 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. Athena Nike was always wingless; Nike alone was winged.

39 Related Question Answers Found

How was Athena born?

Athena is "born" from Zeus's forehead as a result of him having swallowed her mother Metis, as he grasps the clothing of Eileithyia on the right; black-figured amphora, 550–525 BC, Louvre.

Is Greek for fortified hilltop?

A acropolis can also been known as a fortified hilltop in an ancient Greek city.

What does Athena polias mean?

(?ˈθi n?) n. a virgin deity of the ancient Greeks, worshiped as the goddess of wisdom, fertility, the useful arts, and prudent warfare; identified by the Romans with Minerva.

What does Nike mean in Greek?


In ancient Greek religion, Nike (/ˈna?ki/; Ancient Greek: Νίκη, "Victory" [nǐːk?ː]) was a goddess who personified victory. Her Roman equivalent was Victoria.

Why is Nike adjusting her sandal?

Nike Adjusting Her Sandal (410-405 BCE) is a high relief marble panel from the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike in the Acropolis of Athens. After repeated defeats in the Peloponnesian War, Athens would regain its footing not as a major political power but as the apex of intellectual and artistic achievement.

What's inside the Acropolis?

Archaeological remains
The entrance to the Acropolis was a monumental gateway termed the Propylaea. To the south of the entrance is the tiny Temple of Athena Nike. At the centre of the Acropolis is the Parthenon or Temple of Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin).

Who built the Greek temples?

Construction began in the 6th century BC during the rule of the Athenian tyrants, who envisaged building the greatest temple in the ancient world, but it was not completed until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD some 638 years after the project had begun.

What did ancient Greeks look like?

Originally Answered: Did the ancient Greeks look like modern Greeks? Many Ancient Greeks described themselves as having a skin tone in the middle between pale and dark. Their hair is described as wooly.

What did the Parthenon look like originally?


“Sitting atop the hill at the Acropolis, the Parthenon was built in the mid-5th century BC to house a monumental golden statue of Athena. The gigantic statue was over 12 m high and made of carved ivory and gold – 1,140 kilos of gold, to be exact.

What was the Erechtheion made of?

As with the other new buildings on the acropolis, the Erechtheion was built from Pentelic marble which came from the nearby Mt. Pentelicus and was celebrated for its pure white appearance and fine grain.

Is the Parthenon the same as the Acropolis?

Acropolis is the area the Parthenon sits on.
The Acropolis is the high hill in Athens that the Parthenon, an old temple, sits on. Acropolis is the hill and the Parthenon is the ancient structure.

What does Nike mean?

In Greek mythology, Nike is the Winged Goddess of Victory. The logo is derived from goddess' wing,'swoosh', which symbolises the sound of speed, movement, power and motivation.

Why did they build the Parthenon?

Work began on the Parthenon, built on the Acropolis, in 447 BC to replace an existing temple which was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and cost 469 silver talents to build. The work began under the orders of Pericles to show the wealth and exuberance of Athenian power.

Who destroyed the temple of Athena?


Old Temple of Athena
Old temple of Athena Polias (Archaios Neos)
Destroyed 480 BC (Persian Wars)
Owner Greek government
Technical details
Size 21.3 m by 43.15 m

What is ancient Greece known for?

The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture. Greek culture influenced the Roman Empire and many other civilizations, and it continues to influence modern cultures today.

What were Greek temples made of?

Temples were originally made of wood. However, as cities became wealthier, temples became primarily built of stone, with the most important being constructed of expensive marble.