Boxing in Ancient Greece – History Archives

boxing or pugilism (pygme) was one of the contact sports practiced in Ancient Greece. This sport, which was not very popular in Roman times, did enjoy a certain prestige in the Hellenistic world. However, this modality is far from what is currently practiced. However, the skill and strength with which the so-called boxers performed it prevailed.

The origin of the Olympic Games

As is currently the case, The Olympic Games were a series of sporting events in which various Greek polis competed. And it was held every four years. Likewise, it took place in the summer months, probably July, although it was not unusual for them to be held in other months such as May or September. Its quadrennial celebration could be due to the high cost that the polis had to assume when sending their athletes to Olympia.

Beyond its mythological origin in which it is attributed the foundation of the Olympic Games to characters such as Zeus or Heracles, the reasons why this sports competition arose are unknown. The origin of this sports tradition that the Greeks inherited is also a mystery, some claiming that it comes from the Creto-Mycenaean stage and others that it is an import from Eastern peoples such as the Phoenicians (GARCÍA ROMERO, 1992, p. 172).

Historical tradition has placed the date of the first Olympic Games in the year 776 a. c. (VVAA, 2008, p. 68). It is the sophist Hipias, who in the V century a. C. made the first list of winners in the Olympic sports events, starting on the date mentioned above. This base is what the rest of the authors would later use to make their own catalogs of award-winning athletes.

Certain archaeological finds have proven the previous existence of sports competitions in the vicinity of Olympia, but that they did not meet the necessary characteristics to form what the Olympic Games (GARCÍA ROMERO, 1992, p. 184) were later. In addition, the existence of “amateurism” was also likely, that is, groups of people who came together to play a sport as a hobby.

Why were they celebrated?

Likewise, sports celebrations with religious, ritual or funerary reasons were something that was embedded in the Greek mentality. For example, Homer mentions in the Iliad that Achilles established various athletic competitions in honor of Patroclus, who was killed by Prince Hector in the Trojan War. TaGames were also organized to honor the memory of those who fell in important battlesas happened after those of Marathon, Salamina, Leuctra or Platea (VVAA, 2008, p. 68).

What is clear is that the sports headquarters of these was Olimpia, a polis noted for its cult of Zeus, which, as a result of the gradual celebration of the games, was equipping itself with venues and facilities prepared to accommodate athletes and to celebrate the shows. In fact, athletes were required to present at least one month in advance in Olympia (VVAA, 2008, p. 70). The games could last up to 5 days.

Until the 5th century BC. C., the most possible thing is that the athletes belonged in their majority to the aristocracies of their polis. In addition, they followed training, diets and enjoyed a notorious social prestige.

In addition, the celebration of these games supposed, from the ideological point of view, the unity of the Greek polis, where their athletes competed. Similarly, Olympia was also a place with which the Greeks could identify, especially after the Persian Wars.

During its preparation and celebration, a “Sacred Truce” was also established.proclaimed by the spondophores (heralds), in which the polis promised not to attack each other. The Olympic Games (in honor of Zeus) were not the only Panhellenic sports competition. We found three more. Those celebrated in honor of Apollo in Delphi, for Poseidon in Corinth and, also in honor of Zeus, those that took place in Nemea (near Argos). The athlete who was crowned “tourist winner”, that is, who was champion in these four events (periodonikos), was considered a kind of hero.

The winning athletes were awarded in addition to the laurel wreath, with trophies such as tripods and bronze cauldrons, slaves, land or horses.

Requirements for athletes:

  • To be Greek and free, not to be a slave or a foreigner.
  • Not being persecuted by justice for crimes.
  • Not having violated the Olympic Truce.
  • Have trained during the months prior to the tests.
  • Have registered one month before the start of the tests.
  • Compete naked and be punctual.
  • Do not intimidate, bribe, or kill the rival.
  • Always respect the decisions of the judges.
  • The one who defeats his opponent will be declared the winner.

Boxing in Ancient Greece

Boxing was a sport that enjoyed considerable popularity in Ancient Greece.. Both the literary narratives and the fact that in Athens or Sparta it had a place in the physical training of youth confirm this. However, the violent nature of this discipline meant that physical education in schools chose to promote the fight to a greater extent. Nevertheless, It was a practice exercised by both adults and children..

In fact, youth boxing was introduced at the XLI Olympiad (616 BC), in which Phylitas of Sybaris was proclaimed champion. On the other hand, andBoxing was part of the Olympic catalog from the year 688 BC. C., at the XXIII Olympiad, the first winner being Onomastos of Smyrna.

Boxing was a sport already practiced in the Minoan-Cretan area, being reflected in his art. However, it is difficult to relate this boxing to the one practiced in Greece. The origin of boxing is attributed to different deities or heroes, such as Apollo, Heracles or Theseus. On the other hand, the fighter is named after pyktes (boxer).

The boxers followed a rigorous training supervised by a teacher, an optimal physical set-up and a strict diet. In the same way, the trainer guided the fighters during the combat. For the practice in the gym, Plato mentions three methods (GARCÍA ROMERO, 1992, p. 323) similar to those currently followed. These were the punch ballprobably made from animal bladders and covered in leather, the “shadow fight” or skiamakhía and combat with sparring The sparring They were popularly known as andriates (statues).

It was also common to use stuffed cloth or leather sacks (korykoi) with sand, flour or dried figs, in which the athletes practiced their blows and tried to strengthen their hands to withstand the fighting. These even hit the bag with their heads to try to harden it, something really impractical.

As some early Minoan representations indicate, it is probable that the boxers initially used a kind of helmet that covered part of the head and face (GARCÍA ROMERO, 1992, p. 328). They also sometimes wore a kind of belt tied at the height of the kidneys. During training, elements were used to avoid injuries such as “ear covers” (amphotides) and gloves softer than those of competition (sphairai).

How were the fights?

In its beginnings it is possible that the combats were carried out “with bare fist”. However, literary testimonies and pictorial representations of the V century a. C., show the protections that boxers wore around the hands and wrists, covering almost the entire forearm. these, were made up of strips of ox skin (hymantes), which were tied leaving the thumb free and joining the remaining four. They were probably used to protect the hands of athletes.

During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, boxing gloves underwent a notable modification. Thus, the novelty was that a large leather ring was added to the bandage on the knuckles made up of superimposed and very tight strips. The Romans called it caestus and they added metallic masses to make the blows more forceful. It should be noted that the Greeks did not use this type of protection, being something characteristic of the Etruscan-Roman tradition.

The leather straps were finished off on the forearms with two thick wool bracelets that could be used by the boxer to dry the sweat or for greater protection against the opponent’s blows.

«In the previous images we can see the 1.20 meter bronze sculpture of the Himantes oxeîs (boxer at rest), found in the Baths of Constantine (Rome). In it you can observe with extreme realism the ravages of a combat in the body of a fighter. His hands and face are swollen from the blows and wounds all over his torso, even to his ears. It is currently in the Museum of the Baths in the city of Rome.»

At the same time, the fighters fought naked and victory could only be obtained by knocking out the rival or by surrendering it (many times caused by fatigue), that he had to indicate it by raising his arm with the index finger extended. During the confrontation there was a mediator who acted as referee and judge, who in turn proclaimed the winner in the event that the combat reached extreme limits. However, there was no point system similar to the current one.

Unlike in contemporary boxing, the athletes did not have separation of categories by weight, but by age (SAVIOR, 2009, p. 74). Therefore, we distinguish between youth boxing and a general category that encompasses all other fighters. There were also no robberies. but boxers did occasionally take short breaks during combat to catch their breath.

This fact meant that, a priori, the boxers of greater size and strength had a notable advantage. Nevertheless, The Greeks attached great importance to technique and style, there were boxers with a careful style in the movement of legs and waist game, who feinted, others more defensive and those who stood out for their orthodox style.

The fights were held outdoors and the fact of the existence of something similar to a ring is something still discussed by the experts. What is clear is that they took place on a limited platform to possibly prevent the fighters from adopting excessively defensive tactics. Outside its limits were the spectators who attended the combat.

A currently permitted move, clinch, which consists of grabbing the rival, in Greek boxing it was strictly prohibited. The boxer directed the blows to the face and torso of his opponent, being also illegal blows with the legs (which were allowed in the Pancratius).

Although the combats were quite bloody and they used to break jaws, teeth, nose, cheekbones and even rip off ears, there are so far only 4 documented combat deaths (three in the 5th century BC and one in the 2nd century).

The combats were designated, as in the fight, by drawing lots and the…