The practice of enteringcombat without the use of clothing and armor has been documented on several occasions in history. The artistic convention ofheroic nudity was established in theart of ancient Greece by the Archaic period.
Polybius' Histories describe how theGaesatae, hired by other Celtic peoples, theBoii andInsubres, as mercenaries to fight the Romans, stood naked at the head of their army at theBattle of Telamon in 225BC.[1] The Boii and Insubres at this very battle are described fighting barechested, retaining only their trousers, shoes and cloaks.[2]
Diodorus 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."[3]
Livy tells of how theTolistobogii ofGalatia fought naked, being proud of their spilt blood and even widening gashes they received themselves.[4]
At theBattle of Cannae,Hannibal employed masses of Insubres and Boii warriors. Polybius describes them as fighting naked, armed only with their oval shields and long swords, although Livy has them only nude from waist up.[2]
In somemartial arts that are designed to be used for military fighting, full or partial nudity still occurs. The traditionaldonga style ofstick fighting practiced by the young warriors, now bearing firearms, of theOmo ValleySuri tribe of South Sudan and western Ethiopia, is often practiced entirely naked. Serious injury is not uncommon, and wounds incurred during stick fighting are occasionally fatal.[5][6] In theVietnam War,Viet Cong sappers used to slip through barbed wire naked or almost naked.[7] During theFirst Liberian Civil War, warlordGeneral Butt Naked and his fighters fought naked under the belief it would make them immune to bullets.[8]
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| Nudity and sexuality | |
| Issues in social nudity | |
| Naturism | |
| Nude recreation | |
| By location | |
| Social nudity advocates | |
| Depictions of nudity | |
| See also | |
