18 Common Historical Myths You Always Believed Were True
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Many of the ‘facts’ we were taught in school or heard around the dinner table are myths, misconceptions, or flat-out fabrications. Many times, these misunderstandings are due to embellishments, propaganda, or even just misunderstandings through the generations. According to a 2014 British Library survey, 40% of its respondents believed at least one historical myth—like the notion the Vikings wore horned helmets.
History is more dramatic and memorable with myths. For example, George Washington’s wooden teeth or Napoleon’s short stature make their biographies a little more interesting. Setting the record straight can be just as fascinating as the myths themselves. Here are 18 of the most common historical myths you’ve probably heard—and perhaps even believed!
Napoleon Was Extremely Short
Napoleon Bonaparte was believed to be very short because of misunderstood measurements. When he died, Napoleon’s height was 5’2″ in French inches, which works out to 5’6″ in modern feet, which is average for a Frenchman of the day.
It’s possible the myth was British propaganda mocking him. In fact, modern psychology also gave him a bad rap, calling the ‘Napoleon Complex’ after him, unfairly linking aggressive behavior with being small.
The Great Wall of China is Visible from Space
Interestingly, the Great Wall of China can’t be seen from the Moon or even low Earth orbit without aid, as many people believe it could. Although the wall measures over 13,000 miles long, it is only 20 to 30 feet wide and, from space, completely indistinguishable.
Modern satellites can take detailed images of the wall, though astronauts have confirmed that it isn’t visible from space with the naked eye.
Vikings Wore Horned Helmets
No one wore horned helmets; it is just a popular modern conception. This idea started in the 19th century, primarily because of costume designs for Richard Wagner’s operas.
Archeological evidence reveals that Viking helmets were simple and practical without a horn. There is still the perpetuating romanticized image of the Viking in pop culture; however, it would have been impractical to add horns in battle.
People in the Middle Ages Thought the Earth Was Flat
Famously, many people believe that people in the Middle Ages thought that the Earth was flat until Christopher Columbus proved otherwise. Educated people have known that the Earth is spherical since ancient Greece, but that hasn’t stopped the Earth’s flat theory believers.
Philosophers such as Aristotle provided observational evidence, such as when the Earth’s shadow is curved on the Moon during a lunar eclipse.
Marie Antoinette Said, “Let Them Eat Cake”
Marie Antoinette is remembered for being indifferent to the plight of France’s starving poor, saying supposedly, “Let them eat cake.” It has been proven that the origins of this phrase are wrongly attributed to her, according to historians.
The phrase appeared in writings several decades prior to her reign, and it probably served as a critique of the aristocracy. The reality is that Marie Antoinette was made a scapegoat for bigger systemic inequality in the run-up to the French Revolution.
George Washington Had Wooden Teeth
George Washington’s dentures weren’t made from wood. Instead, they were made of materials like ivory, lead, gold, and, in some extreme cases, even the teeth of humans and animals.
The dentures were too uncomfortable, and most of the time, they gave his face a sunken appearance. His dentures likely spurred the wooden teeth myth by becoming darkened and potentially appearing like aged wood.
Einstein Failed Math in School
Albert Einstein’s struggles with math have been exaggerated. In fact, he did well at math, and by his early teens, he was tackling college-level subjects.
His school days boasted high grades in mathematics on his report card. It’s possible that this idea arose from a misunderstanding of Einstein’s grading system or his later criticism of ‘old style’ education methods.
Witches Were Burned at the Stake in Salem
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were a famous but misrepresented method of execution. In reality, none of the accused witches were burned at the stake.
19 were hanged, and one man — Giles Corey — was pressed to death by heavy stones.
Romans Regularly Used Vomitoriums for Purging
One persistent myth about ancient Rome is that vomitoriums were special rooms where food was purged during a feast. “Vomitorium” refers to a specific architectural feature found in Roman amphitheaters—so fans could get in and out quickly.
Roman dining habits were extravagant, but not enough evidence points to purging as an ongoing, deliberate thing.
Christopher Columbus Discovered America
Indigenous peoples lived in America for thousands of years before, but Christopher Columbus is often credited with having ‘discovered’ America. In addition, Norse explorer Leif Erikson arrived in North America around 1000 CE, well before Columbus sailed.
Columbus’ expeditions did open up transatlantic connections, but his being called the “discoverer” of America erases the rich histories of native civilizations on the continent.
Van Gogh Cut Off His Entire Ear
Yes, Vincent van Gogh did mutilate himself during a mental health crisis, but he didn’t cut off his entire ear. He only cut off part of his left ear, perhaps in the midst of an altercation with another artist, Paul Gauguin.
Van Gogh’s self-harm is often misrepresented as he was suffering from a mental illness.
Medieval Knights Were Noble and Chivalrous
A lot of knights are put up on pedestals as paragons of chivalry who protectected the weak, but the historical records are often not so pretty. As an ideal, chivalry did exist—but not all knights were chivalrous; some were violent mercenaries whose chief goal was money and power.
For example, Knights fought brutal acts of conquest as a sign of religious duty during the Crusades. This myth mostly comes from literature and modern media, and so we tend to think of it from a romanticized point of view.
Thomas Edison Invented the Light Bulb
Thomas Edison is generally ascribed to the invention of the light bulb, but he was one of a number of inventors involved in electric lighting. Before him, Humphry Davy and Joseph Swan had earlier prototypes.
Edison’s great achievement was developing a commercially viable bulb using a long-lived carbon filament that outlasted previous designs. His success was due to his improvement of already existing technology and marketing it.
Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned
The idea of Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned in 64 CE is a fantasy. There were no fiddles in Nero’s time, and he was not in Rome when the fire broke out.
Nero acted to provide relief to the needy. He was a marked man, and the myth probably came about because of political smear campaigns.
The Chicago Fire Was Started by Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
A reporter made up the story that the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 started when a cow kicked a lantern over in Mrs. O’Leary’s barn. Despite investigations, the cause of the fire remains unknown.
The blaze destroyed more than 17,000 structures and killed about 300 people. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow was a handy scapegoat.
Chameleons Change Color to Blend into Their Surroundings
Chameleons change color to perfectly camouflage with their surroundings— is a common belief but it is actually not true. Some species can adjust some coloration for basic camouflage, but they mainly use color changes to communicate or to regulate their temperature.
For instance, they often show brighter color in case of territorial dispute or courtship, and darker shades in order to be able to absorb heat more effectively.
Cleopatra Was Egyptian
Cleopatra was, in fact, ethnically Macedonian Greek, coming from Ptolemy I—one of Alexander the Great’s generals. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled Egypt for nearly three centuries, and Cleopatra was the last ruler of that dynasty.
Whilst she was Greek by heritage, Cleopatra went against this, adopting Egyptian culture and claiming herself a native ruler. She spoke the language and adopted some of the ways of living.
The Signing of the Declaration of Independence Was on July 4th
July 4, 1776, is honored as the date of American independence, although it was not on that day that the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, but most delegates signed it on August 2.
The delay was caused by logistical problems in getting all the delegates to sign.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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