What is Pankration?         

Pankration will be in  the 2004 Greek Olympics
(Using Shootfighting Rules)

You will be hearing a lot more aboutPankration as weget closer to 2004!

PANKRATION (pan-kray'shun)Greek "Game of all powers"

Pankration is a Greek word meaning "All strength" (pan= all, kratos = strength; it also has asynonym - pammachon - whichmeans "total fight".

There were three combative sports in the ancient GreekOlympics. Wrestling was introduced in 708 b.c. in the 18th Olympiad, the sameyear the "pentathlon" wasintroduced. Boxing was admitted in 688 in the 23rd Olympiad. 

Pankration is the most well-documented fightingart of the pre-Christian era. It was introduced at the 33rd Olympiad in648 b.c., the same year horse racing was introduced.

In boxing until the 5th century b.c. a boxer's onlyprotection was strips of leather about ten to twelve feet long, which werewrapped around the hands . They were called himantesand offered little protection to the hand.

NOTE: In modern boxing the length of the taping or wrap is120": ten feet!

Pankration is an ancient Greek sport that wasderived from the early forms of Boxing and Wrestling. All techniques exceptbiting and eye gouging were allowed.  Kicking was allowed and it was thefirst known form of fighting that integrated kicking along with striking with the closed fist and open hand. Along with grabbing, this would lead to wrestling or grapplingwhich would follow a slip, knockdown or takedown.

In keeping with the "Olympic Spirit"early Olympiccontests were not to the "Death" but ended much like today's"Ultimate Fights" - with a person being knocked out,  being injured,submitting or - in some cases - killed! 

Submitting was looked down upon because of the "macho"nationalistic spirit even back then. Just as important, wagers were placed upon individual"Champions"! Champions did not submit: they had to be defeated. Justas in ancient Olympic boxing, a contestant could raise his hand to indicate submission.Or, if on the ground, he could verbally submit! Doesn't sound much differentthan what we do today!

There were occasions in Pankration where a person mightbe forced to submit becausehe could not see, when his eyes were swollen shut from the bare knuckleblows. This would also be true in many of the early "bare knuckle"boxing matches that lasted any great length of time!

There were no rounds or rest periods. Thecombatants were divided by age with no weight divisions. The only rest wasbetween fights. 

Pankration was one of the most highly regardedand popular of the Olympic events. Contestants fought and struggled with no timelimits until only "one man" became the victor and was awarded thecoveted crown of olive branches on the final day ofthe Olympics. 

After a short period of time the Pankrationcontestants would also wrap their hands with leather like in boxing. This was done more to protect the hands of the fighter ratherthanto prevent injury to the opponent. 

The death of Pankration would occur after theRomans gained control. Pankration was turned into a "blood bath" withthe fighters forced to fight with the dreaded "cestus"(spiked gloves). This barbarism along with the calling for more and more bloodwould eventually cause the end of Pankration in the Olympics.

  2000 AlTracy - all rights reserved last updated   01/31/2003