User Login
| Pankration |
 |
 |
 |
|
| |
|
«ARHETE AGON, KALLISTON ATHLON TAMIAS»
«A COMPETION OF BEST GAMES BEGINS» - By Nektarios Lykiardopoulos COMBAT RANGES  Undoubtedly Pankration has been the most complete fighting contest for two persons from its’ first appearance in Olympia in 648 B.C. until its’ official disappearance (in 364 A.D. or 393 A.D.).Even today it is considered as such for two in unarmed combat. This book will not expand to a detailed analysis of the history of Pankration-there remarkable academic sources and historical studies analyzing this subject extensively. Here, we shall essay to explain Pankration as a game and its’ techniques as developed throughout history, based on archaeological evidence. Firstly we must point out that the formative substance of each game is the total of its rules and regulations. Pagratio, having very few restrictive rules developed its’ technique and strategy accordingly. So, according to the rules which allowed all kinds of blows and holds (with very few exceptions), Pankration is the only fighting contest which includes 4 combat ranges.The combat ranges or “battle zones” are distinguished by the distance between the fighters and the techniques, which are applied. So, in pagratio there are 4 combat ranges:
It is clear that it was a complicated game since it included all the battle zones included in fighting contests. Even though at first glance it all seemed clear concerning the techniques applied depending on whether the athletes were standing or rolling on the ground, according to which battle zone they were in, there were complications during the fight because the transfer from one zone to another was fast and indistinguishable, also because an athlete fallen on the ground could kick his opponent, depending on the distance between them. Using the battle zones as a starting point, we shall commence the technical analysis of the game. SPECIAL TECHNIQUE IN EACH COMBAT RANGE Pagratio athletes were training in each battle zone and after having fully understood the technique of one zone, they proceeded to the next zone, in the end they advanced to the unification of the ranges. This does not mean that they had learned everything concerning each range’s techniques. On the contrary, they restricted their techniques enough in order to obtain the correct technique and balance in the next range. More specifically, although, as is known, the Greeks kicked in many different ways and at all heights (body and head); in pagratio they used only one or two kicks and never at the head level. In the Boxing Range hooked punches were not preferred except when on the ground, or after capturing the opponent. In the Wrestling Range, many of the throws and overthrows of the game of wrestling were undesirable and harmful in pagratio. All this happened in a sequence of technical applications which the game developed in its course, according to the capabilities of the athletes.  CONSTITUTING ELEMENTS Examining the elements characterizing the game of pagratio in Ancient Olympia, which determine its' technique, we can draw interesting conclusions concerning the technique of the game, as well as the development of specific physical properties. 1. Strength-Technique-Timing «Initially, tough and gigantic athletes had the advantage in the pursuit of victory. With their weight and toughness they could subdue their opponent. As time passed, around the 7th to 6th century BC, toughness with added stamina, strength, patience and technique, created the perfect, the ideal Pankration athletes.». (Th.B.Yiannakis, Ancient Knowledge, Philosophy of Competition) Because in pankration there were no weight categories, we can understand that bigger and stronger athletes had the advantage. (page 50)This is supported by some other parameters as we shall see. In the game of pagratio, strength and size could overcome a smaller opponent's better technical skills. However, this would not happen in the battlefield, where the effective use of weapons demanded refined technique and correct timing, regardless of strength and size. Weapons were ideal “equalizers”. The same applies today. Good soldiers, besides their good physical condition which is a “must”, base their excellence in the correct use of weapons and in strategy, not physical strength. 2. The Ground-"Skamma" The ground on which Pankration took place was dug up sand, called “skamma”. The reason for this was probably to allow the fighters to fight and fall without getting injured and also because this kind of ground was similar to an actual battlefield.This leads us to several useful conclusions: 2a.Restricted mobility The difficulty in moving on such a ground is established. Especially side moves are more difficult, since a human being moves forward (walks) much more frequently than sideways. The straight (linear) move is the prevailing move in the game of Pankration (most likely in other fighting contests such as wrestling and boxing). The martial arts move which is well known today by the Japanese school, where the trainee drugs his feet in order to enhance his balance, has been accepted mostly for contests in interior spaces where the floor is covered by mattresses and has no practical application in the natural environment. If one examines the rules of the most ancient traditional schools of the East, one will discover that they used different moves than the usual ones. Of course Pankration was a game which allowed almost everything, the restrictive rules were extremely few as already mentioned. So we can say that athletes, considering the restrictions in mobility and the size advantage, approached each other with impetus-in a linear way always- moving quickly from a long distance to a short one. It was a powerful impact of two well-prepared athletes, whose physical capabilities were extremely well developed. 2b. Avoidance and Blocks Avoidance especially in a short range battle zone where hand blows prevail, was executed by a short move of the body and bending of the knees, while blocks were enhanced and executed in 2 ways: a) hand blows on the limbs of the opponent, b) soft avoiding / penetrating moves aimed at capturing the offensive limb. Avoidance using long moves of the legs was difficult. Therefore the timing of the athletes had to be excellent and very precise. The head was guarded at combat position of the athletes by their hands, placed relatively high up. Boxers paid more attention to guarding their head with their hands, which is not the case in pagratio where athletes had a looser position, in order to be ready to hit or hold their opponent. EXAMINING PAGRATIO'S OBJECTIVES From the analysis of Pankration so far, it seems clear that it had a direct relationship to combat techniques in actual battlefields. We can accept that it originates from the martial arts of the ancient Greeks, as is the case for all fighting contests. The decisive factor that makes pagratio superior to all martial arts, as far as effectiveness is concerned, is its set of “game rules”. These determine the technique, the strategy and tactics of the game. The only game that could be used as an exercise for the Greek warriors, as apart of unarmed combat training was pagratio. Consequently, before appearing as an Olympic game in ancient Olympia, it already had a long history as a martial art used with great emphasis by the Greeks as part of their war training. This kind of training is the cause for the resemblance between athletes and warriors: Punch blows, pricking with a spear or knife, kicks and generally move skills. The games of wrestling and boxing are also fighting games which, due to their restrictions and rules, soon became athletic contests, losing their “battle” identity, since they had to transform their technique considerably to be in accordance to the spirit of the game and not the fighting contest. This is what happened to pagratio as we shall soon see. A martial art, in order to be effective in a battlefield, must employ a set of moves with or without the use of weapons. In battle, the Greeks after the frequent use of the “phallanx, preferred the standing up position because they were in full armour, eliminating their enemies quickly without falling on the ground with them. This concept was accepted by pagratio athletes during the first years of the game, because as we can see in presentations, it seems as if they were trying to eliminate their opponents not on the ground, but standing up, or holding them tight and nailing them on the ground. THE ANCIENT GREEK GAME OF PANKRATION Historical references and terminology Pankration is a compound word coming from "pan" and "kratos, meaning: "he who holds everything", one with absolute power, authority! We can say within the framework of sports jargon the pagratio is a "battle for submission", a contest where each athlete aims to subdue his opponent. Lexicographer Souidas refers to the pagratio athlete as one who fights using hand and foot blows. Pagratis is he who holds everything, according to a commentator o Sophocles. A commentator on Aeschylos wrote that Zeus is called "pagrateus" because he dominates, conquers and reigns over everybody. Aristophanes in "Thesmophoriasouses" calls Athena "pagrates kora"(omnipotent daughter) of Zeus, (pagrates Zeus). They said of Hercules that he had a powerful heart. Later, these titles "pagratis", "pantokrator" were used by the Church, denoting the power of God and Christ.  Let us see now, how the ancients referred to Pankration: Aristotle in Rhetorics, mentions "wrestler is he who can arrest and hold the other man tightly, (page 54) boxer is he who inflicts injuries with blows, and he who fights using both these methods is a Pankration athlete". A commentator on Plato gives the following definition: "This is a contest consisting partially of wrestling and partially of boxing". Plutarch mentions: "because pagratio is a mixture of wrestling and boxing". According to Philostratos, wrestling, boxing and Pankration were included in the Olympic games for their usefulness in battle, since in Marathon and Thermopylae "after their swords and spears were broken, they achieved a great deal with bare hands, wrestling and Pankration proved useful in actual battle". Plutarch confirms this: "All these are not just games, they are also useful in real battle". (Ethics, 639E) Philostratos points out which is the best Olympic game: "In Olympia and the Olympic games, the best contest for men is pagratio". In ancient Greece they believed that all games originated from some god. They believed that Pankration was created by the hero Theseus, who beat the Minotaur using a Pankration technique. (Plutarch).A commentator on Pindar reports: "Theseus the Athenian, in Labyrinth, much weaker in strength than Minotaur, fought with him and won using Pankration,as he had no knife". According to Pausanias, pagratio was created by hero semi-god Hercules. Pindar's commentator mentions that according to Aristotle,the game of Pankration became technical after its previous form and Leukaros the Akarnanian is considered its transformer. Aristotle said that "Leukaros the Akarnanian was the first to transform Pankration to a technical game". PAGRATIO: MARTIAL ART OR ATHETIC CONTEST? Considering all the above statements and descriptions of Pankration, one question arises: is Pankration, after all, a martial art or a fighting contest? Surely all Olympic games of the ancients come from battle training and are closely connected to war and actual battle. The ability to cover short or long distances running quickly, to overcome natural obstacles, to throw the javelin far aiming at a target, to box or wrestle, are all war preparation activities. In its course through time, as we shall see, athletism evolved, developed its own characteristics traits, shaking off the war essence it carried originally. So, after the enactment of the Olympic games in 776 BC the reason young men train in sporting contests is not just to prepare for war, but in a wider framework of their culture, to become not only ideal fighters but ideal citizens. |
|
