Score a Goal With This Ancient Sports Quiz

Pankration was one of the most popular games of the ancient Olympics. The brutal combination of boxing and wrestling essentially had only two rules: no biting and no gouging. The first person to give up the battle lost the match. Injuries during the competition were incredibly common, and pankration is, in part, credited with helping to create the field of sports medicine.

The ancient Aztec game of pelota purépecha has been around since 1500 BCE and has many similarities to modern-day field hockey. However, there are severalf slight differences, with the most significant being that the ball is lit on fire. The flaming ball is said to symbolize the sun and also allows the sport to be played at night.

The equestrian sport of polo was first played sometime between 600 BCE and 1 CE in the Persian Empire. The game began as a training exercise for elite cavalry units and was sometimes played with as many as 100 riders and horses on each side. The game eventually became a national sport and spread across Asia and the world. The first polo game played in the United States took place in 1877.

The Mesoamerican ball game's first recorded appearance was around the year 1500 BCE. The game had a variety of versions throughout the centuries, but most commonly involved using one's hips to push a heavy rubber ball through a hoop or into the opposing team's territory. Sometimes the game got a little too serious, and the losing squad was killed in a ritual sacrifice.

In the Iroquois language, the name "tawaarathon" means "little brother of war." Originally, the sport was used to keep warriors in shape and settle minor disputes between tribes. The sport eventually evolved into modern-day lacrosse. Today, lacrosse is one of the most popular intercollegiate sports and still holds an important place in the culture of many Native American nations.

The ancient Olympic sport of pentathlon consisted of five events: discus, javelin, jumping, running, and wrestling. While ancient Greeks admired the balanced and beautiful physiques of their greatest pentathletes, the sport wasn't the preference of the viewing public. Historically, pentathlon winners received less money than athletes who won footraces and wrestling matches.

In June 1559, King Henry II of France entered a large jousting tournament in Paris that was held to celebrate a peace treaty between France and Spain. During one match, the lance of his opponent, the Count of Montgomery, struck the king's helmet, splintered into his head, and killed him.

Most sports historians believe that the first-ever athletic event that eventually became a competitive sport was running. Requiring no equipment, the simple race has been depicted in ancient cave drawings dating back to more than 15,000 years ago. In 776 BCE, the sport achieved another place in sports history when it became the first event at the first Olympic Games.

The earliest form of soccer is believed to be the ancient Chinese game of cuju, which appeared as early as 2500 BCE. The game involved kicking a leather ball into a net. Players were allowed to use their feet, chest, back, and shoulders — but not their hands — much like in the rules of modern soccer. The game, whose name translates to "kickball," prospered during the Han dynasty from 200 BCE to 220 CE.

With the ability to seat about 200,000 people, ancient Rome's Circus Maximus stadium stood four stories tall and stretched half a Roman mile. It was built specifically to display chariot racing. During a typical race, 12 chariots would compete in teams, each driving four horses. The goal was to complete seven laps of the circuit while avoiding crashes, flips, and the whips and lashes of your opponents.