On the Martial Stances of Ancient Hellenic Palē, Pygmē, and Pankration: A Window into How Each Combat Sport Was Practiced

Marking both the individual style of a fighter and the systemic elements of the sport they practice; the combat stance displays a wealth of information. To better understand how the ancient Hellenic combat sports of palē (wrestling), pygmē (boxing), and pankration were carried out during pre-Hellenistic Greece, a sample of 28 vases from 575-360 BCE with a clear display of 58 athletes standing in a stance prepared for combat was analysed. Analysis includes a count of stance widths (wide/narrow), orientations (Orthodox/Southpaw), alignments (square/bladed), weight placements (left/right/equal), hand positions (high/low/mixed), and postures (upright/bent). Distinct favourabilities regarding stance elements between the three different combat sports immerge, as well as a large range of stance diversity, particularly for pankration. These practical preferences in the elements of stance are a clear window into how each sport was carried out in terms of distance management, mobility, frequently deployed techniques, and strategy.