Cestus

The Cestus is a type of ancient impact ring in the Olympic Martial Pygme ( ancient boxing ), and was occasionally used in pankration.

History

The Cestus ( from Latin caedere. "Strike " ) was used as a kind of boxing glove or gauntlet in the pankration, a mixture between rings ( pale ) and boxes ( pygme ) at the ancient Olympic Games ( from 648 BC) in Olympia. When it came to getting worse injuries and even death, in the year 30 AD, the Cestus at the Olympics was banned. Today, pankration is again officially operated as a sport, but in a greatly modified form.

Description

The Cestus is made of leather straps (Greek Himantes ), which were wrapped around the hands slightly below the ankle. With its intricate arrangement of wide and narrow leather straps he sees in the embattled state of almost like a reaching to the elbow glove. Later, metal spikes were set up in order to increase the impact effect on the ankle ligaments. The Romans extended the impact effect of the Cestus even more, adding blades. This type of Roman Cestus was myrmax and was used at gladiatorial contests. The Greeks developed a different kind, which they called sphairai, they were also equipped with blades.