Nike of Callimachus, Marble statue at Acropolis of Athens, Greece

Nike of Callimachus is a marble sculpture of a winged woman standing on an inscribed column, displayed in the Acropolis Museum. The work shows how ancient sculptors used both stone carving and metal attachments to complete their pieces.

This sculpture was created around 490 BCE to honor Callimachus, an Athenian general involved in a major conflict with Persian invaders. It came into being following a turning point in early Athenian history against foreign forces.

The column's inscription calls Nike the "messenger of the immortals" (angelon athanaton), announcing the victory the gods granted. Callimachus likely vowed the offering before Marathon, and the statue served as a symbol of military victory rather than a cult image of a goddess.

This sculpture is displayed at the Acropolis Museum in a gallery dedicated to early sculptures, where visitors can examine its remains and preserved sections up close. The exhibition shows both original fragments and reconstructions that help visitors understand the original form.

The statue's neck has nine holes drilled for metal jewellery, now lost; the figure probably held a caduceus. Only about 35% of the column's inscription survives, and the missing text was restored by Catharine Keesling. The fragments were found in 1886, built into the Acropolis walls.