ABSTRACT
Wrestling is one of the longest standing sporting traditions in the world, present in one form or another in veritably every global culture from antiquity to the present. This chapter explores the proliferation of ancient wrestling traditions as physical cultures embedded in diverse local ethnic, political, and religious cultures on every continent. These localized forms of wrestling would intersect over two millennia to evolve into contemporary wrestling traditions present in the modern Olympics, as well as modern variants of local wrestling styles. Between antiquity and the early modern period, wrestling cultures converged, standardizing match objectives and establishing truly global competitions. Though European wrestling stalled during the middle ages, strong traditions continued on every other continent, reconnecting with European wrestling styles during the Renaissance. The eighteenth- and nineteenth-century carnival and circus traditions brought together international wrestlers as strongmen and entertainers, causing wrestlers from across the world to interact and encouraging the standardization of match criteria. In transitioning from a spectacle to a modern sport, Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling rules would undergo constant revision with the Olympic revival. The chapter also explores notable international wrestlers, many from countries boasting strong ancient wrestling traditions, who excelled through the sport’s modernization.
