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Ancient Gymnastics in the Rest of the World
The Egyptian Gymnastics Pyramids
Circus style acrobatics were performed in ancient Egypt.
As early as 2100 BC. stone cuttings depict people building human pyramids
and balancing stunts in Egypt
The Dark Ages for Gymnastics
With the fall of Rome and the spread of Christianity through Europe,
the knowledge that exercise leads to physical fitness seems to have been
lost, along with the ideal of a healthy mind in a healthy body. Gymnastics
and acrobatics survived during medieval times through traveling minstrel
shows included songs, stories, stunts and tumbling.
Gymnastics in Persia
By 500 BC the Persians had developed the side horse (pommel horse)
as a training devise for their cavalry to learn mounts, dismounts, and
swinging movements for combat on speeding horses during battle. Even up
to just 60 – 70 years ago, the side horse had a raised neck and a croup
(end) like a real horse and as the Persians had originally designed it.
Gymnastics in Ancient Asia and China
Tumbling was an ancient art form in China and Asia as well as in
Greece and the Roman empire. Stone engravings found in Shandong province
that date to the Han period (202 BC – AD 220) depict gymnastics and acrobatic
activities being performed.
Olympic Games Abolished
The Olympic games were finally abolished by the Roman Emperor Theodosius
in 392 AD. As a competitive sport, gymnastics disappeared after the demise
of the ancient Olympics. After financial corruption led to the banning
of gymnastics in 393 A.D., the sport did not reappear in the public arena
until the 16th century.
Gymnastics As We Know It
Gymnastics as we know it today was never part of the ancient Olympic
Games. It was regarded as training for other sports, particularly
athletics and wrestling, two of the main events of the ancient Games. Of
the modern events currently considered to be gymnastics, only tumbling
and a primitive form of vaulting were known and practiced in the ancient
world.
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