Inventory number
Ακρ. 690
Artist
Attic workshop
Category
Sculpture
Period
Archaic Period
Date
After 490 BC
Dimensions
Height: reconstruction 4.85 m
Material
Marble from Paros and marble from Penteli
Location
Archaic Acropolis Gallery
This fragmented statue of a winged Nike (Victory) with its inscribed column base has been reassembled out of 28 fragments. Parts of the Nike were found in 1886 northwest of the Erechtheion in the so-called "Korai pit" and those of the column in the time period 1888-1891.
Nike appears to be flying towards the right, with her legs loose and her short himation flowing back, giving the impression of movement. She is supported on the plinth through her long chiton that falls between her legs. Her wings were made from a separate piece of marble and then attached to her back in rectangular openings.
At the time of its discovery the statue retained a red painted meander on the chiton's upper edge, and blue and red bands on the edges of the himation. Around her neck we can see nine small holes, in which once was fastened a metal necklace, no longer preserved. Also lost is her caduceus, which she would have held in her left hand, although many scholars believe that the bronze caduceus she was holding can be identified with ΕΑΜ Χ 7146.
The tall column where the statue was erected has two vertical grooves and an Ionic capital. Between the grooves two vertical epigrams state:
[ΚΑΛΛΙΜΑΧΟΣ Μ'ΑΝ]ΕΘΕΚΕΝ ΑΦΙΔΝΑΙΟ[Σ] ΤΑΘΕΝΑΙΑΙ ⋮ ΑΝ[ΓΕΛΟΝ ΑΘ]ΑΝΑΤΟΝ HΟΙ Ο[ΛΥNΠΙΑ ΔΟΜΑΤΑ] ΕΧΟΣΙΝ. [ΚΑΛΛΙΜΑΧΟΣ ΠΟΛΕ]ΜΑΡΧΟΣ ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΟΝΑ ⋮ ΤΟΝ ΜΑ[ΡΑΘΟΝI – –ΠΡΟ]ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ, Ο[– – – – –⋮] ΠΑΙΣΙΝ ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΝ ΜΝ[ΕΜ– – – – – – –] meaning "Kallimachos from the municipality of Afidnes, dedicated me, the messenger of the immortal gods who reside in the palace on Olympus, to Athena. Kallimachos the polemarch of the Athenians, who fought for the Greeks in the battle of Marathon…monument for the sons of the Athenians".
Kallimachos from the municipality of Afidnes, known today as Kiourka, in 490 BC was a Polemarch. In this capacity he participated in the council of the ten Generals which was called to decide whether to fight the invaders at Marathon or wait in the city for their approach. When the Generals' votes were split evenly, Kallimachos agreed with Miltiades proposal and cast the deciding ballot: the city would face the Persians at Marathon.
In the victorious for the Greeks battle of Marathon Kallimachos fought bravely, but ultimately was killed. Soon thereafter, they honored him on the Acropolis by setting up this winged Nike, perhaps from the spoils of the battle. According to another view the Nike statue was erected by Kallimachos' family or even himself during the Panathenaia festival of 490 BC, shortly after he became a Polemarch and the monument was renewed after his death.
The "Nike of Kallimachos" remained in its place in the northwestern corner of the "Pre-Parthenon" for nearly ten years. Then it was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC when they invaded Athens, set fire to the Acropolis and despoiled its monuments.
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