With the explosion of popularity of martial arts in the 1960s and
1970s in America and Europe, pankration began a rebirth. Modern sys-
tems of pankration have been developed and are gaining popularity. In ad-
dition, the development and spectacular popularity of no-holds-barred
fighting, also known as “ultimate fighting,” has created a demand for
fighters remarkably similar to the pankrationists of antiquity. Ultimate
fighters are allowed to punch, kick, and grapple, and many contests are de-
cided through a choke hold or joint lock. The vast number of techniques
and the innovative manner in which they are used resemble in many ways
Greek pankration. Modern differences, such as the use of protective equip-
ment and uniforms (notably jûdô or jûjutsu uniforms), are often the only
distinctions between ultimate fighting and ancient pankration.
Although pankration can be considered a “lost” martial art, it sur-
vives into the present day through re-creation. Just how much modern no-
holds-barred events resemble the ancient art can never be established, but
the spirit of total fighting with minimal rules certainly brings the ideals of
pankration into the contemporary world.
Pankration is one of the pivotal events in the history of combat sys-
tems. It was developed to teach males the art of war and to develop an in-
dividual’s virtue and bravery. It led to the development of innovative and
creative fighting methods that profoundly influenced the ancient world. In-
deed, that individuals such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates were familiar
with the art is a signal of the importance of this combat system in the Greek
world. The contributions of the ancient Greeks to human society were in-
calculably important. Pankration is yet another example of the outstanding
gifts the Greeks bestowed on the world. Although lost to history, ancient
pankration was one of the critical steps in martial arts development and
stands as an important milestone in the history of combat systems.
Gene P. Tausk
See alsoEurope; Gladiators; Performing Arts; Wrestling and Grappling:
Europe
References
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Corcoran, John, and Emil Farkas. 1983. Martial Arts: Traditions, History,
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Gardiner, E. Norman. 1910. Athletics of the Ancient World.Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
———. 1930. Greek Athletic Sports and Festivals.Oxford: Oxford Univer-
sity Press.
Hines, Nick. 1997. “Pankration: The Granddaddy of No Holds Barred
Fighting.” Black Belt 35, no. 11: 80.
Poliakoff, Michael. 1995. Combat Sports in the Ancient World: Competi-
tion, Violence, and Culture.New Haven: Yale University Press.416 Pankration