The palaistra, literally 'wrestling ground', was part of the gymnasion, situated just south of the open training grounds. It was built in the third century BC. Here combat sports and jumping were practised.

The palaistra was a square building, consisting of an inner courtyard, i.e. the actual wrestling ground, surrounded by a colonnade with 19 rooms. There were rooms for undressing, a room for anointing the body with oil, rooms for wrestling when it rained, a room with a punching bag for box training, etc. In most rooms there were benches around the walls and tamped earth on the floor.