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Leather thong or bandage, often covered with lead and iron, anciently worn by Roman pugilist to increase the force of the blow.

Cestus

Leather thong or bandage, often covered with lead and iron, anciently worn by Roman pugilist to increase…

"The thongs or bands of leather, which were tied round the hands of boxers, in order to render their blows more powerful. The cestus was used by boxers in the earliest times, and is mentioned in he Iliad; but in the heroic times it consisted merely of thongs of leather, and differed from the cestos used in later times in the public games, which was a most formidable weapon, being frequently covered with knots and nails, and loaded with lead and iron." — Smith, 1873

Cestus

"The thongs or bands of leather, which were tied round the hands of boxers, in order to render their…

"The cestus used in later times, in the public games, was a most formidable weapon. It was frequently covered with knobs and nails, and loaded with lead and iron. Figures with the cestus frequently occur on ancient remains. They appear to have been of various forms as appears in the fololowing specimens taken from ancient monuments." — Anthon, 1891

Cestus

"The cestus used in later times, in the public games, was a most formidable weapon. It was frequently…

An illustration of a cestus.

Cestus

An illustration of a cestus.

"The cestus was used by boxers from the earliest times. It consisted of thongs of raw ox-hide, or of leather, tied round the hands of pugilists, in order to render their blows more powerful. Sometimes these bands were tied round the arms as high as the elbow." — Anthon, 1891

Boxer with cestus

"The cestus was used by boxers from the earliest times. It consisted of thongs of raw ox-hide, or of…