In the traditions of many European nations, the symbol of triumph, victory is the laurel branch. To understand why this happened, you need to look at the history of the Ancient World and trace the path that an ordinary tree made - from a simple plant to a symbol of victory.
Greek legends
Myths of Ancient Greece connect this triumphal symbol with Apollo - the god, the patron of arts and competitions. According to legend, once Apollo fell in love with the nymph Daphne and began to persecute her persistently. The beauty tried to flee. When Apollo almost caught her, Daphne, raising her hands, turned to her father - the god of the rivers Penea. He turned her into a slender tree. The saddened Apollo weaved for himself a wreath of leaves of this tree, in memory of unrequited love. And the tree was named after the unfortunate nymph. Translated by Daphne and means laurel. Still on the island of Delos, where according to legend, the god of beauty was born, laurel gardens and groves grow. Well, the decoration of laurel leaves has become an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.
Winners Symbol
Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports, the laurel wreath was awarded not only to skillful composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian games, the venue of which was the Plain of Chrissey. From Greece, the laurel wreath was inherited by the Romans. The triumphant symbol of the laurel began to be intended not only for winners in sports, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The laurel of the Romans became a symbol of peace, which follows a military victory. Such a reward was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for saving a comrade in battle, entering the enemy’s fortress first, for successfully storming an enemy city. The goddess of victory, Nick, always held a triumphant symbol in her hands - a laurel wreath, which was laid on the head of the winner.
Legend has it that laurel is the favorite tree of Jupiter, and it was never struck by lightning. In peacetime, a laurel wreath served as an indispensable attribute of the holidays and sacrifices glorifying the supreme god of the Romans. The symbol of triumph was minted on coins depicting Apollo and Jupiter. Yuri Caesar put on a wreath at all the celebrations. True, evil tongues claimed that a wreath of laurel helped to hide the emperor’s balding crown.
Laurel among the early Christians
The early Christians borrowed many symbols from ancient religions. The symbol of triumph - the laurel branch, was also not forgotten. In the aesthetics of early Christianity, the laurel symbolizes chastity, purity, health and longevity. The evergreen leaves perfectly symbolized the eternal life that will come after the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. Christ was also often depicted with a laurel wreath, as the One who defeated death. Some early Christian martyrs were depicted with laurel wreaths. Laurel was also revered as a plant universally used in medicine and in cooking. In an era when spices were worth its weight in gold, laurel leaves were indeed a precious gift that could even be presented to the king.
Laurel in heraldry and faleristics
The symbol of immortality from Theosophy migrated to the coats of arms and insignia of the noble aristocrats. In heraldry, laurel, like oak, is a symbol of fearlessness and valor. Golden leaves on a red background symbolized the fearless heart of a brave warrior. The triumphal symbol became especially popular in France, laurel leaves adorned the coat of arms of the French Republic. After that, the laurel took pride of place on the arms of many states. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, laurel wreaths adorned the state signs of such states as Brazil, Guatemala, Algeria, Greece, Israel, Cuba, Mexico.
Medals, orders and insignias of many countries of the world adorn the leaves of an evergreen laurel. Indeed, all over the world this plant is a symbol of glory, victory and military prowess, which means that awards must also contain this triumphal symbol in their image. The most honorable awards of European states contain images of laurel leaves.
The value of the laurel wreath today
The laurel wreath still adorns the winners of various art and music competitions. The title “laureate” literally means “decorated with laurel,” which means a winner worthy of wearing this symbol of triumph. Photos of modern laureates show that today they are not decorated with wreaths, like ancient winners. Just insignia of scientists and musicians certainly contain images of laurel leaves. According to some sources, the scientific title "bachelor" also came from the name of the laurel branch.
Thus, from the ancient past, the laurel safely came to our time, almost without losing its symbolic significance.