Pankration: an ancient sport alive and kicking as a modern martial art

By Jeff Tribe

Some time ago a TV program aired on Sky History entitled ‘Human Weapon’. This program featured Bill Duff and Jason Chambers, two Americans skilled in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), as they visited various countries to find out more about their native martial arts. First they would learn the techniques and then challenge the home combatants to a contest. The first program featured Thai kick boxing (Muay Thai), and subsequent episodes covered Eskrima (Phillipines), Karate (Japan), Savate (France) and Judo (Japan). I had lost interest by then but my children, who love martial arts computer games and watching WWE wrestling, were fascinated. At the end of the episode on Judo they excitedly told me that the next program would feature Bill and Jason going to Greece.

Of course, I had to watch it. The program told of the ancient Hellenic sport called Pankration (pan = all, kratos = power), which was first introduced into the Olympics in 648 BC. It is claimed that the great philosopher Plato was a champion – twice! Pankration included elements of kicking, wrestling and boxing, and rounds were fought to a submission or knockout. Biting and eye gouging were forbidden. In some contests, there were deaths when individuals refused to submit. There was also a variant called Pan Machia (total combat), which was used by Greek soldiers on the battlefield to kill their enemies. Spartans trained in Pankration, a skill that no doubt contributed to their famed martial prowess. Ancient Greek vases show all types of moves used in Pankration, including wrestling, grappling, kicking, punching, throws, etc. Pankration has been recreated by researchers such as the Greek-American Jim Arvanitis, himself a champion of MMA. 

After the program had finished, I was interested in finding a club and having a go. My only experience of MMA before then was listening to a fellow HA member telling of his experiences in Taekwondo, a South Korean martial art. However, finding a Pankration club proved difficult. Contacts in Greece and America recommended subsituting elements of other sports, but I wanted to try the actual Greek form, as depicted by Jim Arvanitis in his book. I made no progress in finding a Pankration club, and it looked like they did not exist in the UK. Then at last I found a club on the internet. It was about 40 miles away in Sittingbourne, Kent, so I contacted them and arranged to attend a training session.

At the club the coach, Martin Clarke, explained that as an MMA expert he had attended a Sombo* Championship in Greece, and was asked to help Pankration start in the UK. Before the session started Martin allowed me to take some pictures (right). There were about a dozen young men attending the course, and as you can see they were all very strong and fit! After the warm up the exercises began. First, various kicks were practiced against pads and bags. Then punches, also against pads and bags held at various angles. Then throws were demonstrated and practiced, followed by grappling. It was a brilliant display. After this there was some sparring and then Martin called for volunteers to take part in contests.

There were two bouts, in which the competitors struggled to make their opponents submit. The individuals saluted each another in Greek before starting.  Kicking and punching were allowed, except against the head. Martin explained that head blows are permitted in actual competition as headguards are used, but this was only practice.  It was fascinating to watch the bouts, which were accompied by much cheering and shouts of support, just as one could imagine they were in ancient Greece. At the end I asked Martin for his advice about whether I should do Pankration. He asked me my age (55), my experience in MMA (none), fitness level (not too good), my occupation (pen-pusher) and any recent injuries (both knees, both ankles, and both calves – all running related). He told me that, frankly, he would not advise me to do Pankration!

* Sombo - the actual name of the sport is  ‘SAMBO’, which is an acronym for SAMooborona Bez Oruzhiya. Literally translated from Russian this means ‘self-defense without weapons’. It was developed by the Bolsheviks in the 1920’s to improve their hand to hand combat abilities.  The name was changed to Sombo in the USA and UK to avoid giving offence to ethnic minorites.  I  didn’t know anything about Sombo, but had watched the episode of ‘Human Weapon’ featuring it, where Bill and Jason had comprenshively demolished their opponents. It was the most one–sided contest in the episodes I watched. 

Pankration scene: the pankriatiast on the right tries to gouge his opponent's eye; the umpire is about to strike him for this foul. Detail from an Attic red-figure kylix, 490-480 BC, from the Etruscan city of Vulci. British Museum, London.