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Pankration
Pankration was an ancient sport and a
martial art introduced in the Greek Olympic games in 648 BC. Many
historians believe that although Pankration was not one of the first The term comes from the Ancient Greek words "pan" (meaning "all") and "kratos" (meaning "strength" or "power"). The term is also used to describe the sport's modern varieties.
Pankration, as practiced in the ancient world, combined elements of both boxing (pygme/pygmachia) and wrestling (pale) to create a broad fighting sport similar to today's mixed martial arts. A match was won by submission of the opponent or if the opponent was incapacitated. A contestant could signal submission by raising his hand, but sometimes the only form of submission was unconsciousness or death. Joint locks and choke holds were common techniques of accomplishing this. In fact, there were only two rules: contestants were not allowed to gouge eyes or to bite.
"Pankratiasts...must employ backward
falls which are not safe for the
wrestler and grips in which victory
must be obtained by falling...They
must have skill in various methods
of strangling; they also wrestle
with an opponent's ankle and twist
his arm, besides hitting and jumping
on him, for all these practices
belong to the pankration, only
biting and gouging prohibited. The
Spartans allow even these practices,
but the Eleans and the laws of the
games exclude them."
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Olympic sports, it was likely one of the most popular. Some also
argue it to be the first all-encompassing fighting system in human
history.
