I don't ever remember seen palm leaves used as token of
victory. I have seen "laurel" so used many times.

The Victor's Laurel Wreath.

In the Greek athletic games, a laurel wreath (Stephanos in Greek), or crown was given to the winner. In itself it was worth nothing, but it was a great honour to win and wear it. In mockery, the Romans gave Jesus a crown of thorns when he acknowledged to Pilate that he was king of the Jews (see Matthew 27:29; Hebrews 2:7).

Paul, in his preaching refers to this laurel wreath as a symbol of those who would win the race of life (see 1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

"...I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Palm brances were waved rather than worn in celebration weren't they?

Dear Zed: in the Christian celebrations, yes. And I just
don't remember mention of palms being used by either
Greeks or Romans. I've been hoping some of our scholars
would comment on that.

Different crowns or wreaths were awarded at different games. Pausanias in his 2nd Century AD Guide to Greece lists the different games and the crowns associated with each. See: http:// http://perseus.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Paus.+8.48.1


Bingley

I can't claim to be a scholar, but here's some 'palm trivia'!

The Greek goddess of victory (Nike) was represented with a palm-leaf in her hand (but she didn’t wear trainers) and in Roman gladiatorial games, victors carried palm branches.

Because of its height and ray-like leaves, the palm was venerated by the Babylonians as both a fertility and a sun symbol, a Tree of Life. Baal-Tamar, a Phoenician god, was symbolised by the palm as were the goddesses Astarte and Ishtar.

The palm plays a significant symbolic role in the Judaic religion and became an emblem of Judea – many modern Middle-Eastern countries use the palm within their coats of arms.

In Christianity, the palm symbolises righteousness, resurrection, and martyrdom, all aspects of spiritual victory, and it appears still on Palm Sunday. In the Middle Ages, a palm leaf was worn by pilgrims going to the Holy Land and they became known as 'palmers'. If you meet someone whose last name is Palmer, then one of his ancestors made that hazardous trip.

Today, as an icon of the holiday brochures, the palm has become a symbol of hot, sunny hedonistic pleasures – a more secular holy day than it used to be!

she didn’t wear trainers

Well, duh! She didn't need training.

It wasn't just trainers she was missing:

http://www.pantheon.org/areas/gallery/mythology/europe/greek/nike.html

Don't let John Ashcroft know. He'll do to Victory what he did to Liberty.

He'll do to Victory what he did to Liberty. [snort] What you talkin' 'bout--we got freedom fries, don't we?

Ashcroft has been fig-leafing the undraped statues at the Dept of Justice. I hear he's gonna have Justice outfitted with glasses, too.