GREECE ATTICA ATHENS ACROPOLIS ATHENA NIKE

The small, lovely temple of Athena Nike at the very western end of the acropolis is often missed by uninformed occasional visitors. Nestling to the precipice of Pyrgos hill it was built by Kallikrates around 432 - 421 BC entirely of pentelic marble. This temple in Ionic order was dedicated to Athena Nike, the patron goddess of the Athenians bringing victory. According to Pausanias it was told, however, that the statue in the temple represented Nike - the goddess of victory - deprived of her usual attributes, the wings, so that she would have to stay in Athens. This confusion led to the inaccurate name of "Nike Apteros" - the wingless goddess of victory.

What a delicate monument to celebrate the victory of mighty Athens. It makes us understand why Athenian troops, as vividly reported from Marathon in 490 BC, were singing as they threw themselves into battle.

Left and below: Parts of the famous frieze of the Athena Nike temple.