A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, serving as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most commonly awarded for sporting events, ranging from youth sports to professional level athletics. Additionally, trophies are presented for achievements in Academic, Arts and Entertainment, Business, Military, Professional awards, Community Service, Hunting, and Environmental accomplishments. In many contexts, especially in sports, medals are often given out either as the trophy or along with more traditional trophies.
The European Champion Clubs' Cup held here by Johan Cruyff in 1972, is awarded to the winners of the UEFA Champions League
Trophy for the 1934 Melbourne Cup. The trophy is an example of a loving cup-styled trophy, with three handles attached to the bowl.
Norberto Alonso with the Copa Libertadores Trophy. The trophy awarded to the champions of Copa Libertadores
Several awards for a Scrabble tournament in Benin
A tropaion, from which the English word, "trophy", is derived, was a monument erected to commemorate a victory over one's foes by the ancient Greeks and later, by the Romans. The armour of the defeated foe would be hung upon the monument. Originally, the location of the monument was the battlefield where the commemorated victory took place. Initially, the typical monument was constructed out of a living tree with lateral branches, or it was constructed in the shape of one. After construction, the tropaion was dedicated to a deity in thanksgiving for the victory. Some images of tropaion show many weapons and shields heaped below the armor hoisted upon the monument. In later times, pairs of lances, banners, or stakes set crosswise might be used instead of the tree format.
A Roman tropaeum from the Dacian Wars (Trajan's Column 113 AD), note the tree trunk with arm-like branches and the heaped armor and weapons at its base
A Roman tropaeum in process of erection in the presence of male and female captives, detail from the Gemma Augustea, circa 20-30 AD
Tropaeum scene on the Tropaeum Alpium with male on the left and female on the right
Tropaeum on Roman coin 46-45 BC with male on the left and female on the right