Ancient Greek Boxing Gloves. πυγμαχία pygmachia fist fighting dates back to at least the 8th century bc homer s iliad and was practiced in a variety of social contexts in different greek city states most extant sources about ancient greek boxing are fragmentary or legendary making it difficult to reconstruct the rules customs and history surrounding this activity in great detail. A longjumper with weights 3 discus 4 discus thrower or discobolus 5 cestus or caestus gloves 6.
A boxer had to face one opponent after another typically without significant pauses and blows were dealt exclusively to the head and face. They were made with strips of leather that were occasionally fitted with blades or spikes. Saltatore disco discobulo cesto c.
The leather straps around the hands could be utilised but were often replaced by what were effectively leather knuckledusters known as caestus that had metal inserted into them to cause.
The first cestuses in ancient greece were used in boxing like competitions. This glove often had lumps of metal or spikes sewn into the leather. An interesting note about greek boxing as was with most sport in ancient greece is that the athletes competed in the nude. πυγμαχία pygmachia fist fighting dates back to at least the 8th century bc homer s iliad and was practiced in a variety of social contexts in different greek city states most extant sources about ancient greek boxing are fragmentary or legendary making it difficult to reconstruct the rules customs and history surrounding this activity in great detail.
