Tyche - Wikipedia Jump to content Main menu Main menu move to sidebar hide Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Special pages Search Search Appearance Donate Create account Log in Personal tools Donate Create account Log in Contents move to sidebar hide (Top) 1 Mythology Toggle Mythology subsection 1.1 Family 1.2 Hero myths 2 Worship 3 Depictions Toggle Depictions subsection 3.1 Tyche in art 3.2 Tyche in theatre 3.3 Tyche in poetry 4 Greco-Roman Tyche Toggle Greco-Roman Tyche subsection 4.1 Tyche of Rome 4.2 Tyche of Constantinople 4.3 Tyche of Alexandria 4.4 Tyche of Antioch 5 Tyche in the Parthian Empire 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links Toggle the table of contents Tyche 47 languages العربية অসমীয়া Azərbaycanca Български Català کوردی Čeština Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Esperanto Español Euskara فارسی Suomi Français עברית Hrvatski Magyar Հայերեն Արեւմտահայերէն Bahasa Indonesia Italiano 日本語 Қазақша 한국어 Lietuvių Македонски മലയാളം Nederlands Norsk bokmål Polski Piemontèis Português Română Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Svenska Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links Article Talk English Read Edit View history Tools Tools move to sidebar hide Actions Read Edit View history General What links here Related changes Upload file Permanent link Page information Cite this page Get shortened URL Switch to legacy parser Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Greek goddess of fortune For other uses, see Tyche (disambiguation). "},"caption":{"wt":"Polychrome marble statue depicting Tyche holding the infant [[Plutus]] in her arms, 2nd century AD, [[Istanbul Archaeological Museum]]"},"script_name":{"wt":""},"script":{"wt":""},"affiliation":{"wt":"<!-- or | associate = --"},"cult_center":{"wt":"<!-- or | cult_centre = --"},"artifacts":{"wt":"<!-- or | artefacts = --"},"animals":{"wt":""},"symbol":{"wt":"[[Mural crown]]"},"consort":{"wt":"<!-- or | consorts = --"},"parents":{"wt":"[[Oceanus]] and [[Tethys (mythology)|Tethys]] or<br /[[Zeus]] and [[Aphrodite]] or<br /[[Prometheus]]"},"siblings":{"wt":"[[Oceanids]], the [[River gods (Greek mythology)|river gods]]"},"Roman_equivalent":{"wt":"[[Fortuna]]"},"children":{"wt":"[[Plutus]]"},"region":{"wt":""}},"i":0}}]}' Tyche Goddess of FortuneMember of the Oceanids Polychrome marble statue depicting Tyche holding the infant Plutus in her arms, 2nd century AD, Istanbul Archaeological MuseumSymbolMural crownGenealogyParentsOceanus and Tethys or Zeus and Aphrodite or PrometheusSiblingsOceanids, the river godsChildrenPlutusEquivalentsRomanFortuna Greek deities series Primordial deities Titans and Olympians Personified concepts Water deities Amphitrite Ceto Glaucus Nereus Oceanus Phorcys Pontus Poseidon Proteus River gods Tethys Thalassa Thetis Triton Water nymphs Hyades Limnades Naiads Nereids Oceanids v t e Tyche (/ˈtaɪki/; Ancient Greek: Τύχη Túkhē, 'Luck', Ancient Greek: [tý.kʰɛː] , Modern Greek: [ˈti.çi] ; Roman equivalent: Fortuna) was the presiding tutelary deity who governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny. In Classical Greek mythology, she is the daughter of the Titans Tethys and Oceanus, and she brings positive messages to people relating to external events outside their control.[1] During the Hellenistic period, with dramatic socio-political changes starting with Alexander the Great, Tyche increasingly embodied the whims of fate (both negative and positive), eclipsing the role of the Olympic gods.[1][2] The Greek historian Polybius believed that when no cause can be discovered to events such as floods, droughts, frosts, or even in politics, then the cause of these events may be fairly attributed to Tyche.[3] Other ancient Greek sources corroborate Polybius, such as Pindar who claims Tyche could hand victory to a lesser athlete.[4] This "Hellenistic Tyche" is often featured on coins such as those minted by Demetrius I Soter. Further, Tyche comes to represent not only personal fate, but the fate of communities. Cities venerated their own Tychai, specific iconic versions of the original Tyche. This practice was continued in the iconography of Roman art, even into the Christian period, often as sets of the greatest cities of the empire. Tyche was further absorbed into the Parthian Empire, who frequently depicted Tyche in their coins, as well as in imagery bestowing legitimacy to Parthian kings.[1] Automatia (/ˌɔːtəˈmeɪʃə/; Greek: Αὐτοματία Automatíā, 'she who does what she will') was an epithet of Tyche. Mythology[edit source] Family[edit source] In literature, Tyche might be given various genealogies. She has been described as a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, thus one of the Oceanids,[5] or of Zeus,[6] or even Prometheus.[7] She was connected with Nemesis[8] and Agathos Daimon ("good spirit"). She is sometimes named as the mother of Plutus,[9] the god of wealth; usually, however, he is the son of Demeter and Iasion.[10] Hero myths[edit source] According to Pausanias in his Description of Greece, Palamedes created the first pair of dice and gave them as an offering to Tyche.[11][12] Worship[edit source] Tyche was uniquely venerated at Itanos in Crete, as Tyche Protogeneia, linked with the Athenian Protogeneia ("firstborn"), daughter of Erechtheus, whose self-sacrifice saved the city.[13] In Alexandria the Tychaeon, the Greek temple of Tyche, was described by Libanius as one of the most magnificent of the entire Hellenistic world.[14] Stylianos Spyridacis[15] concisely expressed Tyche's appeal in a Hellenistic world of arbitrary violence and unmeaning reverses: "In the turbulent years of the Epigoni of Alexander, an awareness of the instability of human affairs led people to believe that Tyche, the blind mistress of Fortune, governed mankind with an inconstancy which explained the vicissitudes of the time."[16] According to Matheson, the Goddess Tyche was often worshipped as the personification of a city and its fortune. Matheson also states that there were cults to Tyche all over the Mediterranean. In Athens for instance, citizens would give tribute to Agathe Tyche alongside other gods.[17] Other gods seem to also be presented alongside Tyche including Dionysus at Corinth.[18] There was a Temple of Tyche that contained a figure called Nemesis-Tyche, an aspect of Tyche. According to Edwards, Nemesis and Tyche begin to share cults in the Roman period.[18] The mural crown of Tyche of Sparta depicts the Spartans soldiers repelling Amazons. Palagia argues that this depiction is important to Spartan mythology.[19] Depictions[edit source] Tyche on the reverse of this base metal coin by Gordian III (reigned</span"}]]}'r. 238 – 244 AD) Tyche appears on many coins of the Hellenistic period in the three centuries before the Christian era, especially from cities in the Aegean. Unpredictable turns of fortune drive the complicated plotlines of Hellenistic romances, such as, Leucippe and Clitophon or Daphnis and Chloe. She experienced a resurgence in another era of uneasy change, the final days of publicly sanctioned Paganism, between the late-fourth-century emperors Julian and Theodosius I, who definitively closed the temples. The effectiveness of her capricious power even achieved respectability in philosophical circles during that generation, although among poets it was a commonplace to revile her for a fickle harlot.[20] The constellation of Virgo is sometimes identified as the heavenly figure of Tyche,[21] as well as other goddesses such as Demeter, Dike and Astraea. Tyche in art[edit source] In Greco-Roman and medieval art, Tyche was depicted as wearing a mural crown, and carrying a cornucopia (horn of plenty), an emblematic gubernaculum (ship's rudder), and the wheel of fortune, or she may stand on the wheel, presiding over the entire circle of fate. The mural crown's significance is that it identifies her as the goddess of the city, and in the case of Sparta her mural crown depicted a part of their foundation myth of their city.[17][19] The mural crown is often used by archeologists and historians to identify a figure in art as Tyche.[18] According to Matheson, the Goddess Tyche, being one of the Oceanids, is considered to be an ocean goddess of some kind. Citing how Pindar refers to her in his poems, "he implores her to keep watch around Himera, a port" and how she is often depicted holding a ship's rudder.[17] Tyche in theatre[edit source] The play writer Euripides used Tyche as a literary device and personification. Apollo is said to direct Tyche and even the god's plans can be influenced by the concept of Tyche.[4] Tyche in poetry[edit source] The poet Pindar alludes to Tyche as a goddess of fate who can control the outcome of athletic contests, according to Giannopoulou.[4] Greco-Roman Tyche[edit source] The Three Tychai, c. 160 AD, Louvre Museum In late Roman sets the figures, usually four, represented the Tychai of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and either Antioch (more usual, as in the Esquiline Treasure of about 380 AD) or Trier, as in the Calendar of 354. The Tychai may be seen wearing a mural crown (a crown like the walls of the city). Another common depiction of Tyche in the Greco-Roman period was Nemesis-Tyche.[18] Tyche of Rome[edit source] The remains of a Greek temple of Tyche, Olba The Tyche of Rome was represented "in military costume" according to Amin.[22] In Rome and the other parts of the Western Roman Empire she was referred to as Fortuna.[11][17] Tyche from the Esquiline Treasure Tyche of the city of Rome - Chronography of 354, unknown author. Tyche of Constantinople[edit source] Amin mentions that the attributes of the Tyche of Constantinople included a cornucopia.[22] Tyche was still a figure in Constantinople, depicted on coins well into early Christian Rome. Matheson argues that the Tyche of Constantinople replaced the one of Antioch as the typical representation.[17] Tyche from the Esquiline Treasure Base of statue that depicts Tyche holding a cornucopia. Found in Constantinople. Tyche of Alexandria[edit source] The Tyche of Alexandria "hold sheaves of corns and rests her foot on the bow of a ship" as described by Amin.[22] This could be related to how other depictions of Tyche, like the one in Sparta, are seen with ships rudders.[19] This is because she can steer events argues Matheson.[17] Also, Pindar describes her power over ships "At thy bidding, swift ships are steered upon the sea.[17] Tyche from the Esquiline Treasure Tyche of the city of Alexandria - Chronography of 354, unknown author. Tyche of Antioch[edit source] A golden coin depicting Tyche with a mural crown. Found at Tyre, currently in the Bode Museum, Berlin. Several artefacts feature the Tyche of Antioch with a male swimmer personifying the Orontes River at her feet according to Amin.[22] Her importance to the river is also strengthened by her being considered an Oceanid, according to Giannopoulou.[4] The Antiochene Tyche maintained relevance much later into the Christian dominated empire, as show by official Pentanummium coins minted during the reigns of Justin (r. 518-527) and Justinian (r. 527-565) that depict her in her temple on the reverse.[23] Tyche from the Esquiline Treasure Provincial bronze coin of Trebonianus Gallus (reverse) Roman copy of a bronze by Eutychides, Galleria dei Candelabri, Vatican Museums Pentanummium of Justin showing the Tyche on the reverse, along with the E (Epsilon) mark, showing the coin was worth 5 Nummi Tyche in the Parthian Empire[edit source] Silver Tetradrachm of Vologases I Enthroned king Vologases I facing left, receiving diadem from Tyche, standing with sceptre. AD 55-56 In the early years of the Parthian Empire, Parthian kings, starting with Mithridates I (165 BC) utilized imagery of the Olympian gods in their coinage, often with the term ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (friend of the Greeks) as a conciliatory gesture to subject Greek people living in the former Seleucid Empire lands. However, by the time of Vologases I (51 AD), the only Greek imagery used on coins was the goddess Tyche, who continued to be represented on Parthian coins for the next 200 years. In later imagery, Tyche provides the Khvarenah or projection of divine rulership in Zoroastrianism to the worthy king.[1] It is unclear whether this "Parthian Tyche" simultaneously represented a Zoroastrian goddess such as Anahita or Ashi, or possibly another. Notes[edit source] 1 2 3 4 Ellerbrock, Uwe (2021). The Parthians: The Forgotten Empire (Peoples of the Ancient World). Routledge. pp. 285–287. ISBN 978-0367473099. ↑ Grant, Michael (2000). From Alexander to Cleopatra. History Book Club; BOMC ED edition. pp. 214–216. ISBN 0965014207. ↑ Polybius. The Rise Of The Roman Empire, Page 29, Penguin, 1979. 1 2 3 4 Giannopoulou, V. (1999). "Divine Agency and "Tyche" in Euripides' "Ion": Ambiguity and Shifting Perspectives". Illinois Classical Studies. 24/25: 257–271. JSTOR 23065371. ↑ Hesiod, Theogony 360; Homeric Hymn 2.420 ↑ Pindar, Olympian 12. ↑ Alcman frag 3. ↑ As on an Attic amphora, fifth century BC, Antikensammlung Berlin, illustrated at Theoi.com. ↑ Aesop, Fables 413 ↑ Hesiod, Theogony 969; Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 5.77.1; Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.4.7 1 2 "Tyche: Greek Goddess". Encyclopedia Britannica. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018. ↑ Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.20.3 ↑ Noted by Spyridakis, who demonstrated that earlier suggestions of a source in Fortuna Primigenia of Praeneste was anachronistic. ↑ Libanius, in Progymnasmata 1114R, noted by Spyridakis 1969:45. ↑ University of California Davis faculty: Stylianos Spyridakis Archived 2010-05-16 at the Wayback Machine ↑ Spyridakis, Stylianos. "The Itanian cult of Tyche Protogeneia", Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte 18.1 (January 1969:42-48) p. 42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Matheson, S.B. (1994). "The Goddess Tyche". Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: 18–33. 1 2 3 4 Edwards, Charles M. (July–September 1990). "Tyche of Corinth". Hesperia: The Journal of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 59 (3): 529–542. doi:10.2307/148301. JSTOR 148301. 1 2 3 Palagia, Olga (1994). "Tyche of Sparta". Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin: 64–75. ↑ C. M. Bowra, "Palladas on Tyche" The Classical Quarterly New Series, 10.1 (May 1960:118–128). ↑ DK Multimedia: Eyewitness Encyclopedia, Stardome, Virgo: miscellaneous section 1 2 3 4 Amin, O. S. M. (29 September 2016). Tyche Furniture Ornaments. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5748/tyche-furniture-ornaments/ ↑ "Wildwinds - Justin I". References[edit source] Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library. Gaius Julius Hyginus, Astronomica from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project. Hesiod, Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website. Pindar, Odes translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Pindar, The Odes of Pindar including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library. External links[edit source] Media related to Tyche at Wikimedia Commons v t e Ancient Greek personifications of abstract concepts Achlys Adikia Agon Aidos Aion Alala Alastor Aletheia Algea Alke Amechania Amphilogiai Anaideia Ananke Androktasiai Angelia Anteros Apate Apheleia Ara Arete Astrape Ate Bia Bronte Caerus Chronos Comus Corus Deimos Dike Dysnomia Eirene Ekecheiria Eleos Eleutheria Elpis Eris Eucleia Eulabeia Eunomia Eupraxia Eusebeia Gelos Geras Hedone Heimarmene Himeros Homados Homonoia Horkos Horme Hybris Hygieia Hypnos Hysminai Ioke Kakia Keres Kratos Kydoimos Lethe Limos Litae Lyssa Machai Maniae Methe Mnemosyne Moirai Momus Moros Neikea Nemesis Nike Nomos Oizys Olethros Oneiroi Palaestra Palioxis Peitharchia Peitho Penia Penthus Pheme Philotes Phobos Phonoi Phthonus Plutus Poine Polemos Ponos Porus Pothos Proioxis Prophasis Soteria Sophrosyne Telete Thanatos Tyche Zelus v t e Ancient Greek deitiesPrimal elements Aether Chaos Erebus Eros Gaia Hemera Nyx The Ourea Pontus Tartarus Uranus Titans Twelve Titans Coeus Crius Cronus Dione Hyperion Iapetus Mnemosyne Oceanus Phoebe Rhea Tethys Theia Themis Descendants of the Titans Asteria Astraeus Atlas Eos Epimetheus Hecate Helios Leto Menoetius Pallas Perses Prometheus Selene Olympian deities Twelve Olympians Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Demeter Dionysus Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Poseidon Zeus Other Olympians Eileithyia Iris Harmonia Hebe Heracles Muses Daughters of Zeus Calliope Clio Euterpe Erato Melpomene Polyhymnia Terpsichore Thalia Urania Daughters of Apollo Apollonis Borysthenis Cephisso Boeotian Muses Aoide Melete Mneme Muses of the Lyre Hypate Mese Nete Muses at Sicyon Polymatheia Charites Aglaia Euphrosyne Hegemone Pasithea Thalia Horae Dike Eirene Eunomia Children of Styx Bia Kratos Nike Zelus Water deities Sea deities Amphitrite Benthesikyme Brizo Calliste Calypso Ceto Eurybia Glaucus Leucothea Melicertes Nereus Nerites Oceanus Phorcys Pontus Poseidon Proteus Rhodos Tethys Thalassa Thaumas Thetis Triton River gods Achelous Alpheus Anapus Asopus Asterion Axius Caanthus Cebren Cephissus Enipeus Kladeos Meander Meles Nilus Numicus Phasis Phyllis Peneus Sangarius Scamander Selemnus Simoeis Strymon Personifications Children of Eris Algos Amphillogiai The Androktasiai Ate Dysnomia Horkos Hysminai Lethe Logoi Limos Machai Neikea Phonoi Ponos Pseudea Children of Nyx Apate Eris Geras Hesperides Hypnos The Keres The Moirai Atropos Clotho Lachesis Momus Moros Nemesis Oizys The Oneiroi Philotes Thanatos Others Achlys Aergia Aidos Aion Alala Alastor Aletheia Alke Amechania Anaideia Ananke Angelia Anteros Apheleia Arete The Arae Astraea Caerus Chronos Chrysus Corus Deimos Dikaiosyne Dyssebeia Eiresione Ekecheiria Eulabeia Eupraxia Eusebeia Ersa Eros Erotes Gelos Hedone Hedylogos Heimarmene Hermaphroditus Homados Homonoia Horme Hymen Iacchus Ioke Kakia Koalemos Kydoimos The Litae Lyssa The Maniae Methe Nomos Palioxis Peitharchia Peitho Penia Penthus Pepromene Pheme Phobos Phrike Phthonus Pistis Poine Polemos Poros Pothos Praxidice Proioxis Prophasis Soter Soteria Thrasos Tyche Other deities Chthonic Hades Persephone Pluto Sky The Anemoi Boreas Eurus Notus Zephyrus Hesperus Phosphorus Phaethon Astrape and Bronte Aura Nephele Sirius Tritopatores Agriculture Aphaia Demeter Despoina Eunostus Opora Philomelus Plutus Health Aceso Aegle Asclepius Epione Iaso Hygieia Paean Panacea Telesphorus Rustic Agdistis Amphictyonis Aristaeus Attis Britomartis Comus Hecaterus The Maenades Pan Priapus Rhapso Silenus Telete Others Aphroditus Arke Auxesia The Cabeiri Circe Enodia Enyalius Enyo Melinoë Ophion Orthanes Palaestra Pandia Pasiphaë Phanes Sosipolis Zagreus Authority control databases International VIAF 2 GND FASTNational United States France BnF data Poland IsraelPeople DDBOther IdRef Yale LUX Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tyche&oldid=1360045816" Categories: Fortune goddesses Time and fate goddesses Tutelary deities Oceanids Daughters of Zeus Abundance goddesses Personifications in Greek mythology Fortuna Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Pages with Ancient Greek (to 1453) IPA Pages with Greek IPA CS1: long volume value Webarchive template wayback links Commons category link is on Wikidata This page was last edited on 18 June 2026, at 22:04 (UTC). 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