Crown

From BibleWiki

Denotes the plate of gold in the front of the high priest's mitre (Ex 29:6; Ex 39:30). The same Hebrew word so rendered (ne'zer) denotes the diadem worn by Saul in battle (2 Sam 1:10), and also that which was used at the coronation of Joash (2Kg 11:12).
The more general name in Hebrew for a crown is 'atarah, meaning a "circlet." This is used of crowns and head ornaments of divers kinds, including royal crowns. Such was the crown taken from the king of Ammon by David (2 Sam 12:30). The crown worn by the Assyrian kings was a high mitre, sometimes adorned with flowers. There are sculptures also representing the crowns worn by the early Egyptian and Persian kings. Sometimes a diadem surrounded the royal head-dress of two or three fillets. This probably signified that the wearer had dominion over two or three countries. In Rev 12:3; Rev 13:1, we read of "many crowns," a token of extended dominion.
The ancient Persian crown (Est 1:11; Est 2:17; Est 6:8) was called kether; i.e., "a chaplet," a high cap or tiara. Crowns were worn sometimes to represent honour and power (Ezek 23:42). They were worn at marriages (Song 3:11; Isa 61:10, "ornaments;" R.V., "a garland"), and at feasts and public festivals.

The crown was among the Romans and Greeks a symbol of victory and reward. The crown or wreath worn by the victors in the Olympic games was made of leaves of the wild olive; in the Pythian games, of laurel; in the Nemean games, of parsley; and in the Isthmian games, of the pine. The Romans bestowed the "civic crown" on him who saved the life of a citizen. It was made of the leaves of the oak. In opposition to all these fading crowns the apostles speak of the incorruptible crown, the crown of life (Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10) "that fadeth not away" (1 Pet 5:4, Gr. amarantinos; comp. 1 Pet 1:4). Probably the word "amaranth" was applied to flowers we call "everlasting," the "immortal amaranth."