Tyche-Fortuna

Statue of Tyche-Fortuna. Handmade of alabaster,and painted in museum patina.

Tyche ( Τύχη-ancient greek/roman-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 Aphrodite and Zeus or Hermes. 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.  Increasingly during the Hellenistic period, 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.

Depictions of Tyche

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 Moirai were the distributers of good and bad fortune to men and to nations. The constellation of Virgo is sometimes identified as the heavenly figure of Tyche, as well as other goddesses such as Demeter and Astraea.