Tyche

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]

Mythology

Family

In literature, Tyche might be given various genealogies. She has been described as a daughter of

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

According to the Pausanias in his Description of Greece, Palamedes created the first pair of dice and gave them as an offering to Tyche.^[11][12]

Worship

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

Tyche appears on many

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

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

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

In late Roman sets the figures, usually four, represented the Tychai of

Another common depiction of Tyche in the Greco-Roman period was Nemesis-Tyche.[18]

Tyche of Rome

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

Amin mentions that the attributes of the Tyche of Constantinople included a cornucopia.^[22] Tyche was still a figure in Constantinople was even depicted on coins and 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

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

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]

• 
  Tyche from the Esquiline Treasure
• 
  Provincial bronze coin of Trebonianus Gallus (reverse)
• 
  Roman copy of a bronze by Eutychides, Galleria dei Candelabri, Vatican Museums

Tyche in the Parthian Empire

In the early years of the