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In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied a prominent place in legend and literature; wrestling competition, brutal in many aspects, was the supreme contest of the Olympic Games. The ancient Romans borrowed heavily from Greek wrestling, but eliminated much of its brutality. Wrestling to the Greeks was not only part of a soldier's training regimen, but also a part of everyday life. Youth did not only learn grammar, rhetoric, and mathematics, but young men also went through physical training which consisted of dancing and the art of wrestling. Boys were paired up and learned the art of wrestling in their master's palaestra, or private exercise court built onto the house of a schoolmaster, under the supervision of their instructor. The Greek recognized wrestling as a means of development of grace and symmetry in a vigorous activity that demands a high degree of skill and physical fitness. In ancient times, the awards were not medals but a sacred olive tree wreath. The competition was open to all Greek men who were not slaves. They could also be of any social status.
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