page_title: Harpastum
hierarchical_section_title: Harpastum
caption_attribution_description: English: "Harpastum", a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire. Fresco.
context_page_description: Harpastum, also known as harpustum, was a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire. The Romans also referred to it as the small ball game. The ball used was small and hard, probably about the size and solidity of a softball. The word harpastum is the latinisation of the Greek ἁρπαστόν, the neuter of ἁρπαστός, "carried away", from the verb ἁρπάζω, "to seize, to snatch".
  This game was apparently a romanized version of a Greek game called phaininda, or of another Greek game called episkyros. It involved considerable speed, agility and physical exertion.
  Little is known about the exact rules of the game, but sources indicate the game was a violent one with players often ending up on the ground. In Greece, a spectator once had his leg broken when he got caught in the middle of play.
context_section_description: Harpastum, also known as harpustum, was a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire. The Romans also referred to it as the small ball game. The ball used was small (not as large as a follis, paganica, or football-sized ball) and hard, probably about the size and solidity of a softball. The word harpastum is the latinisation of the Greek ἁρπαστόν (harpaston), the neuter of ἁρπαστός (harpastos), "carried away", from the verb ἁρπάζω (harpazo), "to seize, to snatch".
  This game was apparently a romanized version of a Greek game called phaininda (Greek: φαινίνδα), or of another Greek game called episkyros (Greek: ἐπίσκυρος). It involved considerable speed, agility and physical exertion.
  Little is known about the exact rules of the game, but sources indicate the game was a violent one with players often ending up on the ground. In Greece, a spectator (of the Greek form of the game) once had his leg broken when he got caught in the middle of play.
caption: Harpastum, ancient Roman fresco
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