Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Could this be the European version of karate when the Olympics began in Greece? I quote an article that says, “It combined two other popular sports of antiquity, wrestling and boxing, but kicking was allowed as well.” Isn’t karate about grappling, fist fighting and - wait for it - kicking?
“One of the most impressive facts about pankration is that there weren’t weight divisions as is the norm for every modern combat sport; there were no time limits either, and a contest wouldn’t finish until one of the two opponents surrendered.”
“The pankration referees were also armed with stout rods or switches to enforce the two rules of combat: no eye gouging or biting. The fight wouldn’t finish until one of the combatants was knocked out or accepted defeat, which the loser signaled by raising his index finger.”
“The first time we meet pankration in history as recorded by the writer of “Pankration–An Olympic Combat Sport,” Andreas Georgiou. He takes us back to the 2nd millennium BC, which makes pankration one of the most ancient martial arts.”
“Pankration wasn’t only an Olympic sport (as most historians wrongly believed until recently), but a war technique that both the Spartan hoplites and Alexander the Great’s Macedonian phalanx used in battle.”
“Dioxippus was an Olympic champion in pankration from Athens who volunteered to join Alexander’s army on its expedition into Asia. Alexander was known for his passion for combat sports, so he made Dioxippus an elite member of his close circle, which made many of his soldiers jealous.
One of them was Coragus, a highly skilled and decorated warrior who challenged Dioxippus to armed combat in front of Alexander and the rest of the troops. Coragus fought with weapons and full armor, while Dioxippus showed up armed only with a club. This didn’t stop him, however, from dismantling Coragus - yet he did not kill him. Dioxippus’s pankration skills were too much for Coragus to handle despite his fierce fighting capabilities.”
“Essentially the only rules that existed in the Olympic version of pankration prohibited pankratiasts from eye gouging, biting, and striking the opponent’s genitals. These rules were the main reason why Spartans did not take part in the games, as they considered that they would become more self-indulgent, which would ultimately affect them on the battlefield. Apparently Spartans didn’t follow any rules even when they engaged in sports.”
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/pankration-deadly-martial-art-form-ancient-greece-005221
Modern Karate much like modern pankration, the ancient traditional version has been watered down just like karate today vs. traditional ancient karate until it no longer has the more deadly aspects due to influences and changes that have made them a sport.
Taking a look at the ancient games I wonder, since both European and Asian cultures are the oldest that it may be possible both continents may have encountered one another influencing both martial arts, maybe one or the other actually changed the way an olympic sport was played, either in Asian from Europe or Europe from Asia …
Bibliography (Click the link)
“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)
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