VICTORY WITH PALM SARCOPHAGUS RELIEF

Ca. 150 – 250 AD
Italy
Marble

Victory, known in Greek as Nike, is concept of triumph given physical form. The idea of personifying ideal qualities was common in ancient Greece and can be seen in modern societies as well. In the United States, we personify freedom in the Statue of Liberty. In myth, Victory had the job of keeping the civic order of the city of Athens. She is often seen in conjunction with Athena, sometimes even co-opted into the image of the goddess as Athena Nike. She is recognizable by the wings on her back and the inclusion of palm branches or a musical instrument in her hand. This Victory, as the title describes, is holding a palm leaf. Palm leaves in ancient Greece and Rome were signs of victory themselves, given to triumphant generals and athletes in the form of wreaths or fronds. What can this figure of Victory tell us about the man for which the sarcophagus was made?

We cannot say with certainty the profession of the man who was buried under this Victory relief, but the inclusion of Victory can point us in the right direction. Victory was associated with success in battle or in competition, so this man could have been a courageous warrior, a prudent general, or a star athlete. However, it was his family who planned this burial relief, and it is their message that we receive today. By relating the buried individual to Victory, the family reflected that prestige back onto themselves.