Nicopeia

Nicopeia (sometimes transliterated Nikopoia, Nikopea or Nikopeia; literally 'bringer of victory', from Greek: Νικοποιός) is a title of the Virgin Mary and a type of icon in Byzantine art showing Mary frontally, seated on a throne and holding the Christ Child in her arms. A conceptually similar idea in the Western Church is Our Lady of Victory. It is similar to the Theotokos Kyriotissa (enthroned Madonna) and the Tuscan 'Maestà'.

The title derives from the belief that Mary would defeat Byzantium's enemies. The type was considered as the protector of the state and of the army and was similarly honoured to the Hodegetria. It was carried as a banner and hung at the gates of Constantinople.

From the 6th century onwards the type appears on Byzantine seals and Byzantine coins, replacing the pagan goddess Nike and even adapting the goddess' shield into a medallion or imago clipeata bearing an imag…

摘自英文维基百科「Nicopeia」（CC BY-SA 4.0），暂时没有中文条目。