Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture (Sports and History Series) |
Buy Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture (Sports and History Series) here, one of 749 Ancient History books offered for sale at discount prices here in the history books section at R bookshop. There are currently 89216 history books in our history books section, and over 1,000,000 books listed in our book store. We greatly appreciate your patronage at R bookshop and look forward to offering you a large selection of great books at discount prices now and in the future. Thank you for shopping at R Bookshop!
|
You Are Here: Home > History Books > Ancient History > Item 302
|
Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture (Sports and History Series)
|
by Michael B. Poliakoff
Sales Rank: 562161
|
List Price: $20.00
$18.00
At Amazon
on 9-11-2008.
|
|
|
|
Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 220 pages
Published by: Yale University Press April 26, 1995
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0300063121
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0300063127
Book Dimensions:
9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
Weighs: 12.6 ounces
Book Description
A leading authority on classical games here provides a comprehensive study of the practice of combat sports in the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and the Near East. Describing and analyzing the sports of boxing, wrestling, stick-fighting, and pankration, Michael B. Poliakoff discusses such topics as the function of competition and violent games in ancient society; on the social background of the participants, showing the broad spectrum of Greek athletic personnel; on the significance of the appearance of combat sport in myth and literature; and on the alleged cultic functions of the ancient combat sports. The book is copiously illustrated with photographs of numerous objects rarely or never before published.
Reader Reviews
Poliakoff gives a thorough overview of the three combat sports of the ancient Olympics (wrestling, boxing, & pankration), their rules, the training involved, and the attitudes of the Ancients towards those sports. He speaks briefly of Egyptian stick fighting, but the dearth of ancient literature on the subject means he can treat it only superficially. In addition to describing the sports, Poliakoff gives biographies of some of the more famous practitioners and voices some opinions about the usefulness of combat sports to the body politic, especially in the field of athletics. In his exposition, Poliakoff sometimes dismisses as fantastical legend some feats which are achievable by well trained athletes. For example, he expresses grave doubts about the tradition that the wrestler Milo of Kroton could lift and carry a bull. In the mid-20th century there was a carnival performer, H.E. Mann, who lifted and carried a bull as a part of his act. Mann's act was inspired by Milo. Poliakoff neglects to mention that Milo is credited as the father of "progressive resistance" weight training. Milo began with a calf and lifted it daily until it became full grown. H.E. Mann trained for his carnival act exactly as Milo did, beginning with a calf and lifting it daily until it became full grown. One of the USA's earliests vendors of weight training equipment was the Milo Barbell Company. Poliakoff takes a dim view of the savagery involved in ancient combat sports and sees no correlation between the combat sports and actual military service. Although Poliakoff seeks to show that excellent combat athletes make poor soldiers, he does cite numerous counter examples to his position. It seems ancient Greek history is full of individuals who distinguished themselves both in the games and on the battlefield. Notwithstanding Poliakoff's anti-combat-sports agenda, the book is an informative and enjoyable reading experience.
Comment | |
(Report this)
Back To Top
|
Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture (Sports and History Series)
Available from Amazon
Price: $18.00
Updated on 9-11-2008.
|
NOTICE: All prices, availability, and specifications
are subject to verification by their respective retailers.
| We offer Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competition, Violence, and Culture (Sports and History Series) and other related Ancient History Books here at Rbookshop.com. To view more books about Ancient History please use the previous and next buttons near the top of this page.
|
|
Search for books at
