Serious injury is not uncommon, and wounds incurred during stick fighting are occasionally fatal. The traditional donga style of stick fighting practiced by the young warriors, now bearing firearms, of the Omo Valley Suri tribe of South Sudan and western Ethiopia, is often practiced entirely naked. In some martial arts that are designed to be used for military fighting, full or partial nudity still occurs. Polybius describes them as fighting naked, armed only with their oval shields and long swords, although Livy has them only nude from waist up. Īt the Battle of Cannae, Hannibal employed masses of Insubres and Boii warriors. Livy tells of how the Tolistobogii of Galatia fought naked, being proud of their spilt blood and even widening gashes they received themselves. ĭiodorus Siculus reported other instances of such combat: "Some use iron breast-plates in battle, while others fight naked, trusting only in the protection which nature gives." The Boii and Insubres at this very battle are described fighting barechested, retaining only their trousers, shoes and cloaks. Polybius' Histories describe how the Gaesatae, hired by other Celtic peoples, the Boii and Insubres, as mercenaries to fight the Romans, stood naked at the head of their army at the Battle of Telamon in 225BC. Historical instances of nudity in combat 1 Historical instances of nudity in combat.
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