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First pic: The fighter on the left has knocked down the other.

Most noteworthy in his stance are the following key points:

*his waist is positioned such that it will have twisted 180 degrees at the end of a punch
*One arm appears up to block andf one back to strike--not at all unlike contemporary poses of weapon-and-shield poses
*though the rounded edge of the drawing makes it difficult to see, his rear heel is raised and his knees bent. this survives in modern boxing in many variants but the aim is always to enable better footwork/agility of movement.

Second pic: two fighters facing off.

*There it all is again, and we see some individual stylistic differences now(one is open handed, the other is closed-fisted and the fist appears to be held vertically)

Third:
* both fighters are squared off and there's the vertical fist again.

Fourth:
* Statue of a Roman Boxer AD 50-100. He's wearing the full blown "caestus" on his fists complete with wraps down to his elbows. "Why", i wondered...for defensive purposes?

Fifth:

*Therer's the cocked fists, twisted, almost side-on waists and raised heels/bent knees again.

Sixth:

*Same position AGAIN. Startin' to look like somethin'.

Lastly:

*Pay particular attention to the pair on the left.Stances are similar again though both are in midaction. Theres the vertical fist again on the right fighter though its hard to see, and the way I interpret his footing is that his lead foot is just off the ground as he jabs and is moving in for a crushing right hand with a FOOT SHIFT and a WAIST TWIST.On the left the fighter appears to be performing some manner of elbow block. BINGO. the earlier picture with the forearm wraps on the Caesti begin to make sense now i think.his waist is twisted in a way that makes me think hes moved his waist into the block and the way his arm is drawn back reminds me of preparing to counter with a right uppercut(elbow appears uppermost tho i cannot see for certain)/

Other notes:

Conspicuously absent from all representations is any manner of "ring" or closed off arena. no "rope-a-dope" strategies here.

Also: in almost all cases they appear to start with their lead feet side-by side: No coming out of "your corner" and dancing around looking at each oother; you just come on out and git it on.

In the later Roman days(most of these illustratiuons are Greek) the fist cocked back with the waist coiled makes perfect sense with the Caestus involved. the first solid head blow with such a "glove" would pretty much decide the match if landed flush and concentrating on that type of blow makes sense here.

casual experimentation with the elbow block idea reveals that if one keeps ones elbow bant as one blocks(worked for me) the blocking arm itself still stays cocked for either a jab or a hammer fist type blow as you set up the crusher with the right. Faster than I would have credited it to be as a combo without trying the movement myself.

Vertical fists have been lauded since the 18tyh century as better ways to punch when the fist wears no protection as the hand/arm are in better skeletal alignment and can absorb better shock, and it is gratifying to see it borne out millenia before.

With a little more solid research(these are initial ramblings of a curious guy who wants to learn more now) we could have a reconstructed martisal art in no time.


Thoughts?

Krixus/Andy

WHAT!! And there's one of Arvanitis' schools in my own home state right under my nose no less.......

I think a phonecall is definitely in order......