Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ancientcoinguru, post: 2349128, member: 75563&quot;]Boxing has been a sport since ancient times.&nbsp; It can be found on a Minoan wall painting from Akrotiri, on the Aegean island of Thera from ca. 1550 BC, and it was mentioned by Homer in book 23 of the<i> Illiad. </i>Boxing became an Olympic event in 688 BC, but opponents were only allowed to punch (grappling, biting and gouging were prohibited<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />).</p><p><br /></p><p>The ancient Greeks first made their boxing gloves with strips of raw hide tied under the palm.&nbsp; This gave padding to the palm of the hand, and protected the wrists and knuckles, but left the fingers bare.&nbsp; Around 400 BC, the exterior of the straps became more rigid, and the strips of hide were tied around the arm as high as the elbow.&nbsp; This supported a boxer’s arm when punching, while landing a more forceful blow on one’s opponent.</p><p><br /></p><p>I was attracted to both these coins since they depict boxing gloves on one side of the coin.&nbsp; One is an early 3rd century aes grave and the other is a Greek bronze minted 100 years later.</p><p><br /></p><p>And since a hand encased in a boxing glove fills the entire side of each coin, I wondering if this was also a metaphor for applause…to use the modern day idiom “give them a hand!”</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]478085[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]478086[/ATTACH] </p><p>Umbria, Tuder</p><p>220-200 BC</p><p>AE Triens 22.3gm - 28 mm</p><p>Obv: Right hand bound with boxing glove, four pellets in field </p><p>Rev: Umbrian legend Tutere between two clubs, upright; four pellets in field</p><p>Ref: ICC 224, HN Italy 47, Campana 12, Syd 219/10, T&amp;V 165, SG529</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]478087[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]478088[/ATTACH] </p><p>Ionia, Smyrna</p><p>2nd-1st century BC</p><p>AE 12 - 1.9gm</p><p>Obv: Laur. head of Apollo, r. </p><p>Rev: Hand in boxing glove, ΙΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ and palm to r., ΜΗΤΡΟΔΩΡΟΣ to l.</p><p>Ref: SG4567[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in