HISTORICAL SOCCER

Florence - Historical Soccer

Introduction:

I wish at first the owners of the historical soccer appreciate this and didn't care too much if I took and used here 3 pics. They are really nice, If you really love this game plase visit them at http://www.calciostorico.it and enjoy this tradition of Florence .

History and origins.

Both Greeks and Romans were playing a kind of game with a ball. The first were calling it Sferomachia and the seconds Harpastum (wrest "ball" strongly). Evolving the game, they were really hitting each other to get and play the ball. As you probably know, Florentia was a roman colony and here people really liked that game. The first international game was during the besiege of Florence of 1530. The Florentine decided to show to the French troops out of the city that inside the wall everything was going fine. That date was frebruary the 17th. Two teams played in Piazza Santa Croce in front of the curch. A little orchestra was standing over the Santa croce roof as they could bee seen from far away. The French cannons tried to shoot them but they were too far and all people were laughing. In fact the French troops were not in a hurry. They knew that the city was in fact close to surrender. The next summer, Medici were in Florence again.

Rules of the game:

Simple and drastic: mark a "caccia" (goal) in any way. In the field there are 27 players called "calcianti" for each team. The "Pallaio" (manager of balls), launch the ball in the fields and guns shoots. Then the game start. The players are classified as: 4 "Datori" on the back (keepers), 3 "Datori" in front (defenders), 5 "Sconciatori" (centers half), 13 "Innanzi o corridori" (attackers or runners). During centuries some games were really extreme. The ball was standing alone in the field and the players were just hitting each other. One time, during a game a player bit another player's ear till it felt down. Strange situation not acceptable now but part of the original game. Ready to fight? Play. Rugby is another thing! The control of the players is a owner of the Captain and the bishop of each team and the referee is the judge-referee plus 6 referee at the bordline and 1 out of the field. Get a caccia (goal) is not easy. Player trough the ball till it pass among the goal posts but if a defender hit the ball or it goes over the top goal post, ½ caccia is given to the other team. When a team get a caccia then all team change field and all game takes 50 minutes. The winner team get a chianina cow like reward given when the trumpets plays.

Curiosity

Florentine soccer is a brutal game, romantic and wild. There are a few reported games really particular. In 1491 they played in the iced river. Take the essence, something to try! In 1570 they played in Rome at the Diocleziano thermal baths when Cosimo I got his Great Duke election. In 1575 they played in Lyon (F), honouring King Enry III. In 1584 there was a game honouring Eleonora de' Medici and Vincent I Gonzaga. After the game a bullfight was on. At this show 40000 people where present. In 1605 Arno river is again iced and Florence decided again to play another match there! In 1650 two special teams had a game: the Piacevoli and Piattelli. Piattelli won but chronicles tells about a epic war game in the field and out. In 1689 a game was organized to celebrate the marriage of Ferdinando de ' Medici e Violante Beatrice di Baviera with a asian and a european team! In 1766 they played in Livorno during the visit of the Great Dukes Pietro Leopoldo I e Maria Luisa. At the game there was the UK ambassador. Legend say that the curiosity for football (in fact, soccer) in UK born in this way. Florence loves soccer. Important personality played calico storico: Piero II de ' Medici, son of Lore nzo il Magnifico. Lore nzo II de ' Medici, Duke of Urbino. Alessandro de ' Medici, Duke of Tuscany. Cosimo I de ' Medici Great Duke of Tuscany. Francesco I de ' Medici, Great Duke of Tuscany. Vincenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantova. Cosimo II de ' Medici, Great Duke of Toscana (citato nella poesia del Chiabrera sopra riportata). Lore nzo e Francesco, sons of the Great Duke Ferdinando I de ' Medici. Enrico, Prince of Condé. Giovan Carlo and Mattia, sons of Great Duke Cosimo II. Giulio de ' Medici, Pope Clemente VII. Alessandro de ' Medici, Pope Leone XI. Maffeo Barberini, Pope Urbano VIII.

Now

Some games really get out of the hands and instead to play they become really a war. It's not easy to keep quite 54 partisan players. In 2006 and 2007 all games where nullified.