The guards of Classical Fencing from the book of Andrianos Gazianis with title ‘Oplomachitiki’, of 1938

By George E. Georgas

From my previous article about the guards of classical fencing, I underline that the art of fencing is evolve with the passes of ages removing everything that has not use for the needs of era or it is changing names. In the following photos you can observe that there are some differences from the photos of the book of N. Pirgos and the book of Andrianos Gaziani with the title ‘Oplomachitiki’.
The author was professor of physical education and maître d’armes. The book is rare and the previous book that concerns the art of fencing was published at 1891 from T. Chisochoidi. Lets come back to Andriano Gaziani, he was fencer under the banner of A.G.C ‘Panellinios’ and after that he was fencing coach of the Greek national fencing team. He was founding strain of the Athenean Group Oplomachias and he was vice president of the Greek Fencing Federation. He passed away of the age of 100, couple years ago.

If we observe the photos you can see that the guards and the names for the foil and epee are the same, for the other hand the guards of saber there are different form the names that given N. Pirgos in his book of 1872 and also different for the present day. This is another proof that the art of fencing is alive because the art is evolving continues and reconsider again and again everything.

The front page of the book Andrianos Gaziani with the title ‘Oplomachitiki’. Was published at 1938.

Passata sotto. This technique is active in the present day for the modern fencing. Its roots come from the renaissance.

At the left page we can see the 8 subdivisions of the target area of the body. At the right page we can see the ‘First’ parry and the ‘Second’ parry for the fleuret.

At the left page we can see the ‘Third’ and ‘Fourth’ parries, at the right page we can see the ‘Fifth’ and the ‘Sixth’ parries.

At the left page we can see the ‘Seventh’ and the ‘Eight’ parries.

At the left page we can see the ‘Sixth’ guard position for the epee or the triangular sword.

At the left page we can see the parry that named ‘First parry for the head’ it is the ‘Fifth’ for the present day and the ‘First high guard’. At the right page we can see the ‘First’ and the ‘First low guard’.

At the left page we can see the ‘Second’ parry and the ‘Third’ parry. At the right page we can see the ‘Third low parry’ and the ‘Fourth’.

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George E. Georgas is the founder of the Hellenic Academy of Historical European Martial Arts ‘Leontes’. He is certificated fencing instructor of the Hellenic Fencing Federation and also national referee of the Hellenic Fencing Federation at the epee. He is instructor of Meyer Freifechter Guild with the rank of Fecther and he is the Guild Unterhauptman for Greece. He is also member of Learn Sword Fight (Gladiatores). He is in the Administration Council of the ‘Pammachon’. He is also instructor of weapon fighting of the Association of Historical studies ‘KORYVANTES’. He is studying the ancient Greek and Byzantine warfare, such as the use of rompaia, spathion and paramirion types of swords and other weapons such as the spear. He is also give stage fighting lessons to the theatrical team ‘The Blue Rose.’