What is Pancratium?

[dingyuan]

Can anybody help me answer this question, thanks.

[MenteReligieuse]

pan·cra·ti·um ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pn-krsh-m)

 

n.

 

An athletic contest in ancient Greece that involved boxing and wrestling.

 

from https://www.dictionary.com

[dingyuan]

Are there still anyone doing pancratium nowdays??

[MenteReligieuse]

Since those wrestling matches sometimes finished by death, I hope not. I mean it was just how they called "wrestling" in these days. 2 guys sluggin it out...naked.

[White Warlock]

modern day boxing, wrestling, and sambo carry on remnants of techniques applied in said ancient competitions. Pancratium, in and of itself, was basically the name of the no holds barred competition, and not an outright style of fighting, per se. It held far less rules and restrictions as the so-called no holds competitions found nowadays. I.e., eye-gouging, limb-removal, and tearing out of organs was 'allowed' and actually did occur, according to available information on said events.

 

And yes, as Mentel mentioned, deaths occurred as well.

[DokterVet]

How exactly do you remove someone's limb?

[MenteReligieuse]

With your teeth dude, and nails!

[ramymensa]

I think it's Pankration, but I wouldn't put my money on it, I might be wrong. It's an interesting style and there are some nice resources on the web about it.

[White Warlock]

Yes, don't put your money on it. Modern-day pankration is merely the name of yet another series of schools offering mma instruction.

 

And DokterVet, i should have said "appendage," as i do not recall any reports of an entire limb being removed in a pancratium competition. I have read of hands, toes, fingers, ears and organs being torn off/out in those ancient competitions.

[stefk79]

pankration:''pan''(everything) and "'kratos''(power)

 

Firstly pankration took place in ancient greek history especially at orpheus' book, in which Iason asisigned Hercules with a cup for his victory in pankration.

 

At first it was included to Olympic games in 648b.C .There were two kinds, the ''up''' and the ''down'' .At the first kind the two rivals must have stood upright , at the second one the match was continuing to the groung.

 

About the first one we know that it was safe and it was for training.On the other hand the second contained in the programme of the National games.Athletes didn't use to gloves and they hit with close or open hands.There was a great variety of kicks but because of the muddy surface and athletes weakness during the game they didn't kick in amazing way.

 

The most popular kick was straight to the stomach and the kick beside the knee.Also, one other technique was to grab opponent's heel for losing his balance.Another one, was to roll up his feet round opponent's neck.This technique was the most safe for victory.

 

Pankratio was very tough and sometimes led to death.Nowadays in Greece ,as i know there is a federation and i hope to preserve the ancients techniques to be taught in the near future.