The Art and Science of Fencing by Nick Evangelista

Beginners practiced with a wooden sword called a rudis. Gladiators were trained in schools ( ludi) by professional instructors ( doctores). The Romans brought sword combat to a highly systematic art that was taught to both their legions and their gladiators. Swordsmanship, as a pastime and in single combat and war, was also practiced widely by the ancient Persians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans as well as by the Germanic tribes. This relief must depict a practice bout or match, as the sword points are covered and the swordsmen are parrying with shields strapped to their left arms and are wearing masks (tied to their wigs), large bibs, and padding over their ears.

The earliest depiction of swordplay is a relief in the temple of Medīnat Habu, near Luxor in Egypt, built by Ramses III about 1190 bce. For information on the art of Japanese sword fighting, see kendo. Although the use of swords dates to prehistoric times and swordplay to ancient civilizations, the organized sport of fencing began only at the end of the 19th century. Learn how to fence with Anja Fichtel, an Olympic Gold Medalist See all videos for this articleįencing, organized sport involving the use of a sword- épée, foil, or sabre-for attack and defense according to set movements and rules. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.

The Art and Science of Fencing by Nick Evangelista