Roman Martial Arts?

[Tarbicus]

I thought that boxing was the Roman gentleman's preference, and wrestling was the "Greek" preference?

I don't think we're singing from the same hymn sheet at all. :wink:

Just to spell it out more clearly - the more Greek the sport, the more dubious it was. Men slithering all over each other and grabbing each other was tres Greek - men punching the **** out of each other was more "manly", ergo Roman. It involved more pain. Any man with more endurance for pain was a better man, and the more he endured it without complaint made him an even better man.

That's IMHO. Disfigurement was a sign of a manly experience and disposition, whereas Stephen Boyd in the Hollywood movies was just a 1950's ideal of a manly disposition who had good hair no matter what. To a Roman Boyd would have been a complete pussy, as would have Russell Crowe.

I personally think the Romans thinking about Greeks was like the Spartans thinking about Athenians. Being like a Greek was a 'no-no' in Rome. Wrestling was a "Greek" sport, whereas boxing gave you character.

Only IMHO.