Marble Relief of Greek Men Wrestling
source: Wikimedia Commons
author: Fingalo
Description
A Greek marble relief depicts two men grappling with each other. The man on the right is grabbing the other man’s left arm with two hands, while the left man’s free arm grabs the right man’s left shoulder. Two more men watch from the sides, with the one on the right holding a long rod or stick.
Date
Artifact: 510–500 BC
Photo: June 2007
Information
This marble relief is located on one side of a funerary statue base, located in the National Archeological Museum in Athens at the time of photograph. The photograph pictures the front of the base. The two men depicted in the relief appear to be engaging in palé, an ancient Greek wrestling sport. The man on the right appears to be a referee or judge, wielding a rod with which to punish any rule-breaking.
The left side of the statue base, depicting either the Greek ball game episkyros or the Greek boxing sport pygmachia, is linked below.
Related Articles
Greek Palé | Greek Palaestra | Panhellenic Games | Ancient Olympic Games | Greek Pygmachia | History of Combat Sports
Miller, S. G. (2004). Ancient Greek athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press.