The Pyrriche

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I saw a reference to a Spartan dance called the pyrriche in an Osprey book, "The Spartan Army", and I was wondering if anyone had any more info on this? The book simply stated that it was intended to accustom the dancer to the movements he'd use when wearing his hoplite panoply, and that it was taught to him at an early age(I forget the exact age, though).

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

The Pyrrichios dance was not only a Spartan dance. In Athens youths,after completing their two year trainning,they danced the pyrrichios in fron of the public,supposedly committing all the movements they had learned in their trainning. It may had been danced either in groups or single. There are vase paintings that show flute players and a hoplite dancing alone.
I think Xenophon in the Anabasis mentions that the Greeks danced the pyrrichios in a barbarian feast.
Today the Pyrichios is a military dance saved by the Pontian Greeks and it's one of their most impressive dances.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_39Il46yKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug85tfdG ... re=related
Khaire
Giannis

[hoplite14gr]

It seems that there was a 2 types of "pyrrichios" or "pyrrichi" dance.

The heavy armed troopers version and the light armed troopers version.

The light armed troopers version made it to our days in the folk dance of Pontos and Crete. The steps resemble those described in Xenophon's Anabasis. And a hand movement is depicted in Neolithic pottery from Sesklo.

The heavy troopers version is lost to us and various reconstruction options are under research.

Kind regards

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHliS9Zz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyVTlOaMbLw
Stefane,I don't think there were two versions of it. There is no mention of light troops dancing their own version,and certainly i haven't seen light troops depicted dancing it. On the contrary only hoplites are shown in pottery and sculpture. And even these are never fully armed but always have the same equipment. The same as in the hoplitodromy. Helmet,shield and perhaps greaves but not always. Their weapons are either spear or sword. I think i have seen a version of the pontian Pyrrichios being danced with swords nad where of cource the dancers were not holding hands.
Khaire
Giannis

[PMBardunias]

The tradition is that the name of this dance stems from Achille's son Pyrrhus. There are many armed dances for which we have sources from the ancient Greek world, though how many of these they would have called "Pyrrhic" I don't know. One of our best examples is from Xenophon and that one is danced by a woman!

Polybious speaks at some length about Arcadians and the role of dance in their society, particularly the benfit to youth. Thracians also were famous for combat dances, and something called a "pig dance," and most cultures have such dances. There are excellent examples for Africa and India (perhaps the ancestor of East Asian kata).

I have been doing some investigation of greek dance and have some references I'd share with any interested. I've attached an image thought to be a pyrrhic dance. Although the Pyrrrhic is interesting, ultimately it is the group dances that are more important for hoplite combat by imparting the crucial synchronicity of movement.

[hoplite14gr]

I've attached an image thought to be a pyrrhic dance. Although the Pyrrrhic is interesting, ultimately it is the group dances that are more important for hoplite combat by imparting the crucial synchronicity of movement.

Agree strongly here.

There is a tune and a dance in Greek folk lore called "kalamatianos".
After experimenting with a friend using only spear and shield I belive that it can help a group in synaspismos to extend to the right while attemping to hit the enemy obliquely. Next step is to tried with at least six people in full armor.
Perhaps this was the "karkinou odi" (crab song) that was popular with the logadae elite hoplites.

Kind regards

[Avatar]

Ah, thank you all. Much appreciated. Always leaves me curious when something is mentioned but not explained in such books.

[Thais]

There are many armed dances for which we have sources from the ancient Greek world, though how many of these they would have called "Pyrrhic" I don't know. One of our best examples is from Xenophon and that one is danced by a woman!

OK, I realize I'm kind of late to this party, but I'm new here... Where is the Xenophon reference? I'd like to look into that...

-Thais

[hoplite14gr]

Xenophon:
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/x/xenopho ... book6.html

Light troopers's armed dance. A variation still survives in Thrace today.

If you read further a similar dance like the one described for the Aienianes survives as Carnibal custom in Eurytania (Central Greece)

The Arcadians mentioned later perfomed the hoplites dance.

Kind regards

[Thais]

Thank you! I just didn't want to have to swallow all of Xenophon to try and find one reference...

-Thais

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Hmmm, I found Xenophon well worth the read..... :wink:

[Thais]

oh, I don't disagree - I intend to read a great deal more of Xenophon, as well as other classics. It's just that the particular project I'm involved with at the moment has me pressed for time, so I need to narrow down sources quickly. I'll get back to it, never fear! :wink:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yeah, that is the biggest hurdle...lack of time....so much to learn, so little time...

[sitalkes]

I suggest looking at Lillian B. Lawler; Alice E. Kober, “The ‘Thracian Pig Dance’â€

[Thais]

Thank you so much for the references! I think I've seen the Walters amphora you mentioned, or an image of it; it sounds familiar. I'll have to look around here and see if I'm not hallucinating.