Ancient Martial Arts

[J.Alco]

Whenever people hear the word 'Martial Arts' (in most cases) they automatically think of Asian fighting styles: Tae-Kwondo, Karate, Kung-Fu, etc etc. You name it, it's asian. This of course can lead to the false impression (and even some idiotic comments) that Asia invented and perfected hand-to-hand combat.

Now, if anyone thinks for more than a minute and looks past the hype (which isn't hard to do) it's easy to see that this is a false assumption. It doesn't take a genius, or someone who's found inner peace, to invent a spinning kick or a good punch, and it certainly doesn't take hours of spiritual nursing to perfect any given fighting technique. Although Asian martial arts are certainly formidable, and certifiably ancient, the fact that they are so well-known today is due to two things: Their creators writing down the techniques, and those writings surviving to nowadays.

It's downright naive to think that Europe and the Middle East (the area of the EB map), which have a history of human civilization at least as old as that of Asia, would not invent hand-to-hand fighting techniques for civilians and military personnel, and that these were not in widespread use in EB's timeframe. The logical reason, I think, that not much is known about them nowadays is mainly because any written records, if there were any of them, (considering that Celtic, and other, civilizations had a strong tradition of oral history) have not survived to the present-day.

So, who here can name, or hypothesize, at least one martial art technique that would be taught to soldiers (and maybe civilians) if they had to deal in un-armed combat? Faction or area doesn't matter.

Here's my theory concerning one: Wrestling (apparently it counts as a martial art). I imagine that Roman, Greek, or any other soldier that carried around a dagger as a secondary weapon, would be taught how to grapple with their enemy if they should find themselves disarmed. Teach a soldier how to get past his opponent's weapon and either wrestle him to the ground or hinder the enemy long enough to use the dagger. It's an easy-to-remember, effective, and quick-to-teach technique, that I imagine would be standard military training at the time, since most armies nowadays include firearms training and CQB courses.

[stupac]

An interesting thought. I've wondered that myself and wish I knew. Though it seems to me that martial arts aren't exactly a war winning advantage. They may be cool and all, but I don't think a Roman legionare being able to perform a spinning star kick if he loses his gladius would be all that great of an advantage, especially if his enemy is still armed. But I too would like to know if any grappling techniques were regimented in any of the classical period armies. Though I would think it would be a needless waste of training for all but the most elite soldiers. Maybe EB historians can comment.

[Maximus Aurelius]

Not a war winning advantage?! If Bruce Lee was fighting for the romans at the battle
of Cannae, Hannibal would flee at the very sight!

[Torvus]

I've read that the Spartans trained their youths in Pankration, which has been theorized as the ancestor of all the Asian martial arts.

Pankration was also an event at the Greek Olympics, so Greek nobility most likely would have known it too.

[stupac]

Not a war winning advantage?! If Bruce Lee was fighting for the romans at the battle
of Cannae, Hannibal would flee at the very sight!

I acquiesce.

[Gebeleisis]

Not a war winning advantage?! If Bruce Lee was fighting for the romans at the battle
of Cannae, Hannibal would flee at the very sight!

no,cause the carthaginians had Chuck Norris!

[Hax]

...and that was the moment another great historical discussion escalated into a chat about Chuck Norris.

[Gebeleisis]

this is a sign from GOD!

[s0meguy]

no,cause the carthaginians had Chuck Norris!

lies

[Gebeleisis]

i can prove!