History of Pangration
It is thought that the early Spartan association of the Pangration with their military training is what kept the sport out of the first Olympics. However, once sporting rules and safety measures were introduced, the Pangration was admitted to the 33rd Olympics in 648 B.C. www.worldpangration.net/
An Introduction to ‘Pangration Athlima’
(‘Sports Pangration’) The Pangration is possibly the most ancient of all martial art sporting competitions. While an exact date of origin is difficult to settle upon, many think that it began as early as the 12 century BC as it gains mention in the ancient story of Jason and the Argonauts, which many date to this period. Certainly figures of Pangratists have been found on certain vases dating back to 1700 BC.
Some say that the great Hercules, or perhaps Theseus, or some other legendary hero founded the sport. Plato held the sport in somewhat less high esteem, suggesting from his observations that it amounted to no more than ‘agon tis exatelus pigmis ke atelus palis sygimenos’ (‘a combination of imperfect boxing with imperfect wrestling’).The name ‘Pangration’ comes from two Greek words; ‘pan’ meaning everything, and ‘kratos’ meaning power. The meaning then is that every bodily weapon is at the Combatant’s disposal in a Pangration fight. In other words ‘anything goes’! The sport originally had two forms. ‘Ano Pangration’ was fundamentally a stand-up fight, featuring kicks, punches, and throws, as well as other forms of attack, but when the combatants hit the ground; they would be stood up again to continue fighting on their feet. The ‘kato Pangration’ was considered the more dangerous as well as the more complete of the Pangration forms. Here the combatants would continue to fight after hitting the ground, and would be forced to depend on their wrestling skills as well as their stand-up fighting skills in order to endure the fight. It is thought that the early Spartan association of the Pangration with their military training is what kept the sport out of the first Olympics. However, once sporting rules and safety measures were introduced, the Pangration was admitted to the 33rd Olympics in 648 B.C.
It is the hope of the ‘World Pangration Federation of Athlima’ (WPFA.), and it’s Australian counterpart (APAF) that the Pangration will one day be returned to its rightful place in the Olympics.
This link below is the head office of Pangration please view.