Ancient Sports

It's hard for modern listeners to truly grasp the spectacle that was arena sports in ancient Rome, which pitted man against man and man against beast in mortal combat. Our modern games of football and hockey, or even boxing and MMA, truly pale in comparison. The Gladiators is a comprehensive survey of these ancient sports, focusing on gladiatorial combat and the beast hunts (venationes).

In The Ancient Wisdom of Baseball, author Christian Sheppard interweaves Homer’s epics with glorious stories from the green fields of America’s pastime, celebrating Achilles’ courage and Odysseus’ cunning along with the virtues of Hall of Fame players such as Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth and of great teams such as the 2004 Red Sox and the 2016 Cubs. Along the way, Sheppard humorously recollects trying to raise his baby daughter true to the teachings of ancient myth and his beloved game.

A year inside Ivy League Football, unveiling the heart and soul of college football’s oldest teams as they compete amidst a rapidly changing collegiate sports world—from an award-winning, bestselling author. "A reminder that Ivy football is the American Beauty Rose of the fall sport...

A whirlwind history of soccer's improbable rise―from ancient traditions to worldwide cultural focus How did a simple kicking game conquer the world? In this concise yet comprehensive history, sports historian Brian D. Bunk traces soccer's unlikely, meteoric rise, showing how a pastime humbly...

Ability on its own has never been enough. The best athletes know that their secret weapon is the power of their mind. Dr. Stephen Simpson works with many of the world's top sports stars and poker players. So you want to discover the most effective mind secrets to use in your favourite sport to take your game to at least the next level? Excellent. You will find many in this book. Discover how to unleash your massive potential! These secrets of the top sports stars earned them a whopping total of $447 million in just a single year. Now YOU will discover the secrets of success used by our top ...

Did you know that the Mesoamerican civilization used acupuncture? Or that Da Vinci discovered the eddy currents around the aortic valve? While these may seem like mere trivia, the truth is that even in the medical field, history matters. In fact, we still use some of ancient Egypt’s assessment and treatment techniques in physiotherapy and orthopedics today. Combining the history of various exercise methodologies, including yoga, tai chi, qigong, and Pilates, with current research and clinical experience, author and physiotherapist Alex Daulat provides a unique guide that builds on the ...

Ancient Olympia is not just the birthplace of the Olympic Games, it is also the origin of philosophical ideas that resonate even today. Combining the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle with the art, archaeology, and history of Ancient Olympia, this short book offers ancient Greek insight on the nature of sport, athletes, and human excellence, as well as the less-expected topics of women, beauty, fairness, and peace.

At last, a major biography of one of golf’s greatest legends. Arnold Palmer changed golf--and sports--forever. The winner of more than 90 tournaments, including four Masters, the numbers on his resume don’t do justice to the greatness of his achievements. Because Palmer wasn’t just a...

Trace the lethal evolution of martial arts history from ancient battlefields to modern combat sports. Perfect for a high-focus commute or intense workout motivation, this gritty narrative plunges you into the visceral reality of Siamese warfare. Discover how early kingdoms forged devastating...

Discover 1,341 amazing facts across sports, animals, science, history, food, pop culture, and more! Looking for a book that will keep curious kids entertained while sneaking in a little learning? Curious Kids’ Mega Fact Book is packed with short, surprising, and laugh‑out‑loud facts designed for ages 8–12. Perfect for travel, waiting rooms, family game nights, or even as a fun bathroom reader, this collection makes knowledge feel like play. Inside you’ll find 10 exciting chapters: 🏆 Sports & Games – wild records, strange rules, and athlete oddities 🐾 Animal Kingdom ...

Discover How Soccer Became the World’s Game The Complete Evolution of Soccer takes readers on an engaging journey from ancient ball games and chaotic medieval contests to modern tactics, advanced technology, global tournaments, and smart stadiums. This detailed yet easy-to-read soccer history explores how a loosely organised kicking game developed into the most popular sport in the world. Learn how early rules were created, why clubs and professional leagues emerged, how international competitions grew, and how women’s soccer overcame decades of exclusion to become a major global force....

What if every sport was never just a game? In The Hidden Pattern Behind Every Sport, the author reveals a truth hidden in plain sight: every sport is a ritual system. Built from geometry, rules, tribe, time, and witness, sports train human beings to move energy, effort, and meaning inside limits. Long before science, psychology, or modern training theory, humans designed games as a way to practice life safely. This book decodes that system. By breaking down courts, fields, arenas, rules, equipment, teams, crowds, seasons, and even shadows, The Hidden Pattern Behind Every Sport shows how ...

Tai Chi is a form of Chinese martial arts that has been shown to promote body and mind capabilities by enhancing a person's stamina, strengthening the body, and boosting overall mental capacities. This, in turn, allows you to have a better life that is harmonious with the forces around you. From among the many hundreds of Tai Chi techniques, this audiobook presents the basic movements you'll need to get started.

On Horsemanship, also sometimes titled The Art of Horsemanship, is a treatise written about 350 BCE by the Athenian historian, soldier, and student of Socrates, Xenophon (c. 430-354 BC). The treatise is a "hands-on" manual which deals with the selection, care, and training of horses in general.

Why do we run? To what end, all the effort and pain? Wherefore this love of muscle, speed, and sweat? The Greeks were the first to ask these questions, the first to suspend war, work, politics, to enjoy public celebrations of athletic prowess. They invented sport and they were also the first to understand how physical activity connected to our mental well-being.

How to master the ancient art of moving meditation! The practice of Tai Chi provides many benefits to the human body. Aside from the physical benefits, the practice of Tai Chi can bring improvements in different aspects. Learning to master Tai Chi challenges your physical and mental capabilities. Tai Chi requires effort, patience, and discipline. Improved coordination. Tai Chi progressively improves your gross physical coordination and even the most subtle aspects of physical movement.

Celebrating 150 years of The Open. A book as iconic as its subject – capturing and celebrating 150 years of golfing history and stories. From caddies to greenkeepers; clubhouses to breath-taking courses; archive imagery to stunning photography, this book will reflect the wonderful journey of...

While they are still well-known, the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece are more relevant today than most people know, and the ways in which athletic sports pervade contemporary culture is comparable only to the spirit of athleticism in Hellenic Greece. Today, a large section of the media industry is devoted exclusively to sports, and in some nations sports even figures as a critical component of their identity.

Naked athletes, an olive-wreath grand prize, and a marathon "winner" who rode in a car — the Olympics like you've never heard them. Forget the highlight reel. Olympic Tales is a treasure chest of the strangest, funniest, and most jaw-dropping facts, secrets, and scandals from nearly 3,000 years of the Games — from Ancient Greece all the way to today. Perfect for curious kids ages 8–12, and a fun countdown read before the Olympics come to Los Angeles in 2028. Did you know… Ancient Greek athletes competed completely naked — and the prize wasn't gold but a wreath of wild olive leaves...

The book chronicles the extraordinary life and leadership of Rome's Emperor Julius Caesar, from his early years to his assassination. "History of Julius Caesar" is one of many biographies aimed at young people written by Jacob Abbott and his brother. The biographies are written in such a way that makes them appealing and easily accessible to everyone.