The laurel wreath was a symbol of which Greek god?

In Ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were awarded to the winners of athletic competitions in the Olympics.

In Greek mythology, crowns made from laurel leaves are closely associated with gods and goddesses. The Olympian God, Apollo, the son of Zeus, is depicted wearing the laurel wreath in various instances.

The wreath was used as a status symbol by the rich and influential people of the time. Laurel wreath crowns were first instituted by Apollo. It is said that Apollo unrelentingly pursued his love interest, Daphne, a nymph who didn’t feel the same way about Apollo and fled to save herself.

She sought help from the river god who turned her into a laurel tree. The grief-stricken Apollo used the branches and leaves from the tree for consolation and made them into a crown.

A cursory look at history will reveal that laurel crowns were printed on the currency, for instance, Charlemagne’s head which is adorned with a laurel crown on coins. Van Dyck painted a portrait of Charles V on Horseback, which depicts him wearing the laurel crown. Even Napoleon, a popular emperor, is often shown in paintings wearing a golden laurel wreath.