Emperor

Ancient games

A painting depicting Emperor Taizu of Song playingcuju (i.e. Chinese football) with his prime ministerZhao Pu (趙普) and other ministers, by the Yuan dynasty artist Qian Xuan (1235–1305)

The Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have played many ball games, some of which involved the use of the feet. The Roman game harpastum is believed to have been adapted from a Greek team game known as “ἐπίσκυρος” (Episkyros)[11][12] or “φαινίνδα” (phaininda),[13] which is mentioned by a Greek playwright, Antiphanes (388–311 BC) and later referred to by the Christiantheologian Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 – c. 215 AD). These games appear to have resembled rugby football.[14][15][16][17][18] The Roman politician Cicero (106–43 BC) describes the case of a man who was killed whilst having a shave when a ball was kicked into a barber’s shop. Roman ball games already knew the air-filled ball, the follis.[19][20]Episkyros is recognised as an early form of football by FIFA.[21]