A Bad Ancient article by historian Alexandra Sills questions whether ancient Greek boxers were as shredded as modern athletes. Sills reminds readers that Greek combat sports — wrestling, boxing, and pankration — spanned more than a thousand years, each with unique training and body types. She wrote, “Athletes were highly muscled, and their bodies were deliberately bulked up with prescribed diets and rigorous training. However, there was diversity in how they looked.” The takeaway? Ancient athletes celebrated strength in all its forms — and beauty came in many builds
