Ancient Greek MMA--Pankration

cross_trainer · 06-17-2007, 12:25 PM

Pankration was an ancient [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and a [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] introduced in the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Many historians believe that although Pankration was not one of the first Olympic sports, it was likely one of the most popular.[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] Some also argue it to be the first all-encompassing [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in human history. This is a strongly debated issue in the academic community.

Pankration was an ancient form of unarmed [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] resembling the mixed martial arts of today.

Contents

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[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
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[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

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[[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Etymology

The term comes from the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] words "pan" (meaning "all") and "kratos" (meaning "strength" or "power"). The term is also used to describe the sport's modern varieties.

[[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Origins

In Greek mythology it was said that the heroes [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] invented the pankration as a result of using both wrestling and boxing, were the two co-founders of panmahia, unarmed combat. The term "panmahia" would later become disused in favor of the term pankration. The ropalo (club) and lion skin armor would also become symbolic among Hellenic warriors due to the famed feats of Hercules. It had numerous forms such as kato pankration, in which the athletes could fall to the ground and continue the match, and ano pankration, in which athletes had to remain standing throughout the match. The competitors could use moves like the gastrizein, (stomach trick), which was a kick to the gut, as well as the apopternizein, (heel trick), where a foot was grabbed to throw an opponent off balance. Also one opponent could hold another and punch him during a match. Pankration was more than just an Olympic event, it formed the basis for all combat training for Greek soldiers - including the famous Spartan Hoplite warriors and Alexander The Great's Macedonian Phalanxes. The techniques varied just as in the oriental martial arts according to ‘style’. Pankration systems were taught within families and many times from master teachers (Thaskalos) to students (Pankratist). Forms or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] were known as Pyrrics and single blow challenges as Klimax; internal energy was developed through breathing exercises, the equivalent of ‘[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]’ in Chinese arts, known as Pneuma. Pneuma primarily denotes the wind (derived from the Greek word pneo which means to breathe, blow); also 'breath'; then, especially the spirit. Punching bags and wooded posts for striking and the hardening of the body and limbs, through striking and herbal medicines, were also used

[[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Elements

Pankration, as practiced in the ancient world, combined elements of both [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (pygme/pygmachia) and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (pale) to create a broad fighting sport similar to today's [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. A match was won by submission of the opponent or if the opponent was incapacitated. A contestant could signal submission by raising his hand, but sometimes the only form of submission was unconsciousness or death. Joint locks and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] were common techniques of accomplishing this. In fact, there were only two rules: contestants were not allowed to gouge eyes or to bite.
Grave, even permanent injuries were common as an accepted means of disabling the adversary: mainly breaking limbs, fingers or even the neck. Pankration bouts were quite brutal and sometimes life-threatening to the competitors. As a result, a [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] event (a somewhat vague younger age group) for pankration wasn't established at Olympia until 200 B.C.
There were no weight divisions and no time limits. Referees were armed with stout rods or switches to enforce the rules against biting and gouging. The contest itself continued uninterrupted until one of the combatants either surrendered, suffered unconsciousness, or was killed. Although knockouts were common, most pankration battles were decided on the ground where both striking and submission techniques would freely come into play. Pankratiasts were highly-skilled grapplers and were extremely effective in applying a variety of takedowns, chokes, and punishing joint locks. Strangulation was most feared during ground combat, and was the leading cause of death in matches. A fighter would immediately raise his arm in defeat once his opponent's forearm had secured a firm grip across the windpipe or carotid artery (though there are stories of fighters who chose to die rather than surrender.)

A bronze smaller reproduction in Munich of a Roman marble after a 3rd c.BC Greek depiction of pankratists grappling and striking

Ancient sculptures and pottery paintings depicting [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] pankratiasts show stances and movements reminiscent of modern fighting systems.
The feats of the ancient pankratiasts became legendary in the annals of Greek athletics. Stories abound of past champions and masters who were considered invincible beings. Arrichion, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and Polydamas are among the most highly-recognized names, their accomplishments defying the odds by besting multiple armed opponents in life-and-death combat.
Among pankration fighters, Dioxippus was the most famous. He won several Olympic games as no one dared challenge him, became friends with [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and some accounts claim he defeated one of Alexander the Great's soldiers named [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (who fought with weapons and full armour), armed only with a club. Later, Dioxippus was framed for theft, which led him to commit suicide.

In the lead-up to the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], a modern non-nude version of pankration was tipped as being a new sport in the Olympiad, especially due to its being an event in the ancient games. However, its application was not approved. Rumours were that it was rejected due to its inherently violent nature,[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] though the modern version is significantly less violent than the original, and like boxing and wrestling, also ancient Olympic sports, there is an international set of humane rules governing the modern sport.

[[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Influence

Because of Alexander the Great's impact on the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], there is a belief by some that cultural exchange may have occurred in these civilizations. It has been suggested that the fighting systems of India were influenced by the invasions of Alexander, but this has not been substantiated by firm historic evidence. It is still unknown what cultural influence he may have had on India. A thorough anthropological study of this history would be required.

Nuke · 06-17-2007, 12:30 PM

Always good shit cross-trainer.

06-17-2007, 01:31 PM

Great thread again.

sugarngold · 11-19-2009, 09:32 PM

Where MMA started?

06-17-2007, 12:25 PM	#1
cross_trainer Bergeron Avatar Club ESB Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,280	Ancient Greek MMA--Pankration Pankration was an ancient [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and a [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] introduced in the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Many historians believe that although Pankration was not one of the first Olympic sports, it was likely one of the most popular.[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] Some also argue it to be the first all-encompassing [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in human history. This is a strongly debated issue in the academic community. Pankration was an ancient form of unarmed [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] resembling the mixed martial arts of today. Contents [[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] // [[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Etymology The term comes from the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] words "pan" (meaning "all") and "kratos" (meaning "strength" or "power"). The term is also used to describe the sport's modern varieties. [[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Origins In Greek mythology it was said that the heroes [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] invented the pankration as a result of using both wrestling and boxing, were the two co-founders of panmahia, unarmed combat. The term "panmahia" would later become disused in favor of the term pankration. The ropalo (club) and lion skin armor would also become symbolic among Hellenic warriors due to the famed feats of Hercules. It had numerous forms such as kato pankration, in which the athletes could fall to the ground and continue the match, and ano pankration, in which athletes had to remain standing throughout the match. The competitors could use moves like the gastrizein, (stomach trick), which was a kick to the gut, as well as the apopternizein, (heel trick), where a foot was grabbed to throw an opponent off balance. Also one opponent could hold another and punch him during a match. Pankration was more than just an Olympic event, it formed the basis for all combat training for Greek soldiers - including the famous Spartan Hoplite warriors and Alexander The Great's Macedonian Phalanxes. The techniques varied just as in the oriental martial arts according to ‘style’. Pankration systems were taught within families and many times from master teachers (Thaskalos) to students (Pankratist). Forms or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] were known as Pyrrics and single blow challenges as Klimax; internal energy was developed through breathing exercises, the equivalent of ‘[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]’ in Chinese arts, known as Pneuma. Pneuma primarily denotes the wind (derived from the Greek word pneo which means to breathe, blow); also 'breath'; then, especially the spirit. Punching bags and wooded posts for striking and the hardening of the body and limbs, through striking and herbal medicines, were also used [[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Elements Pankration, as practiced in the ancient world, combined elements of both [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (pygme/pygmachia) and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (pale) to create a broad fighting sport similar to today's [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. A match was won by submission of the opponent or if the opponent was incapacitated. A contestant could signal submission by raising his hand, but sometimes the only form of submission was unconsciousness or death. Joint locks and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] were common techniques of accomplishing this. In fact, there were only two rules: contestants were not allowed to gouge eyes or to bite. Grave, even permanent injuries were common as an accepted means of disabling the adversary: mainly breaking limbs, fingers or even the neck. Pankration bouts were quite brutal and sometimes life-threatening to the competitors. As a result, a [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] event (a somewhat vague younger age group) for pankration wasn't established at Olympia until 200 B.C. There were no weight divisions and no time limits. Referees were armed with stout rods or switches to enforce the rules against biting and gouging. The contest itself continued uninterrupted until one of the combatants either surrendered, suffered unconsciousness, or was killed. Although knockouts were common, most pankration battles were decided on the ground where both striking and submission techniques would freely come into play. Pankratiasts were highly-skilled grapplers and were extremely effective in applying a variety of takedowns, chokes, and punishing joint locks. Strangulation was most feared during ground combat, and was the leading cause of death in matches. A fighter would immediately raise his arm in defeat once his opponent's forearm had secured a firm grip across the windpipe or carotid artery (though there are stories of fighters who chose to die rather than surrender.) A bronze smaller reproduction in Munich of a Roman marble after a 3rd c.BC Greek depiction of pankratists grappling and striking Ancient sculptures and pottery paintings depicting [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] pankratiasts show stances and movements reminiscent of modern fighting systems. The feats of the ancient pankratiasts became legendary in the annals of Greek athletics. Stories abound of past champions and masters who were considered invincible beings. Arrichion, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and Polydamas are among the most highly-recognized names, their accomplishments defying the odds by besting multiple armed opponents in life-and-death combat. Among pankration fighters, Dioxippus was the most famous. He won several Olympic games as no one dared challenge him, became friends with [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and some accounts claim he defeated one of Alexander the Great's soldiers named [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (who fought with weapons and full armour), armed only with a club. Later, Dioxippus was framed for theft, which led him to commit suicide. In the lead-up to the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], a modern non-nude version of pankration was tipped as being a new sport in the Olympiad, especially due to its being an event in the ancient games. However, its application was not approved. Rumours were that it was rejected due to its inherently violent nature,[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] though the modern version is significantly less violent than the original, and like boxing and wrestling, also ancient Olympic sports, there is an international set of humane rules governing the modern sport. [[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]] Influence Because of Alexander the Great's impact on the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], there is a belief by some that cultural exchange may have occurred in these civilizations. It has been suggested that the fighting systems of India were influenced by the invasions of Alexander, but this has not been substantiated by firm historic evidence. It is still unknown what cultural influence he may have had on India. A thorough anthropological study of this history would be required.
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06-17-2007, 12:30 PM	#2
Nuke Full Length Member ESB Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Under the oppression of a tyrannical government. Posts: 1,282	Re: Ancient Greek MMA--Pankration Always good shit cross-trainer.
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06-17-2007, 01:31 PM	#3
dwilson Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Ancient Greek MMA--Pankration Great thread again.
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11-19-2009, 09:32 PM	#4
sugarngold SUGAR IS CHAMP! ESB Addict Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mutantville, North Carolina Posts: 3,979	Re: Ancient Greek MMA--Pankration Where MMA started?
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