Pankration, The Forefather of MMA
Athletics played an essential role in the ancient Greek world. The Ancient Olympic Games dates back to 776 BCE, but we have knowledge that athletic competition in ancient Greece had a long history prior to this date. The ancient Greek athletics was a quest for an individual’s excellence and fame, which the ancient Greeks called Arete. Because of this emphasis on the individual, sports in ancient Greece largely excluded team competitions. In this paper, I will be focusing on the combat sport, Pankration, the history, rules and regulation, and how it has influenced the modern mixed martial arts. I will also be adding of why the combat sports are still growing in popularity and human’s attraction towards violence.
Pankration was the most violent event in the …show more content…
It was not suitable for boys until there were refinements done to the Pankration; the first Pankration for paides was introduced in 200 BCE, in the 145th Olympics. There are only a few rules in Pankration, though distinctive styles and rules possibly existed in the different parts of Greece. Pankratiasts developed skills in multiple techniques of strangling. They learn to wrestle different parts of their opponents to reach a strategic position other than hitting and jumping on him, only biting and gouging your opponents are proscribed. In Sparta, they allow these techniques of biting and eye gouging, but the Eleans and overall laws of the games forbids them, though they accept strangling. There were two types of Pankration: ano pankration consisted of just kicks and punches, involved limited or no wrestling involved, and was similar to kickboxing. Kato pankration, is a more open style and fighting continued even if the fighter fell to the ground; it was much more vicious than the previous
Athletics played an essential role in the ancient Greek world. The Ancient Olympic Games dates back to 776 BCE, but we have knowledge that athletic competition in ancient Greece had a long history prior to this date. The ancient Greek athletics was a quest for an individual’s excellence and fame, which the ancient Greeks called Arete. Because of this emphasis on the individual, sports in ancient Greece largely excluded team competitions. In this paper, I will be focusing on the combat sport, Pankration, the history, rules and regulation, and how it has influenced the modern mixed martial arts. I will also be adding of why the combat sports are still growing in popularity and human’s attraction towards violence.
Pankration was the most violent event in the …show more content…
It was not suitable for boys until there were refinements done to the Pankration; the first Pankration for paides was introduced in 200 BCE, in the 145th Olympics. There are only a few rules in Pankration, though distinctive styles and rules possibly existed in the different parts of Greece. Pankratiasts developed skills in multiple techniques of strangling. They learn to wrestle different parts of their opponents to reach a strategic position other than hitting and jumping on him, only biting and gouging your opponents are proscribed. In Sparta, they allow these techniques of biting and eye gouging, but the Eleans and overall laws of the games forbids them, though they accept strangling. There were two types of Pankration: ano pankration consisted of just kicks and punches, involved limited or no wrestling involved, and was similar to kickboxing. Kato pankration, is a more open style and fighting continued even if the fighter fell to the ground; it was much more vicious than the previous