10 enduring historical myths

TEN ENDURING HISTORICAL MYTHS

Nero fiddled while rome burned the origin of this expression is

definitely contentious. though nero was known as a musician, the fiddle wasn’t invented until 1,500 years after the fire of rome.

Sir Walter Raleigh laid down his cloak for elizabeth the legend of chivalrous sir Walter laying his cloak over a puddle to keep Queen elizabeth’s feet dry stems from Walter scott’s romantic novel Kenilworth of 1821.

romans

deliberately vomited at orgies the ‘vomitorium’ was actually the entrance allowing crowds to exit and enter a stadium.

american

Independence was declared on 4 July the Pennsylvania evening Post published the news about the resolution declaring independence on 2 July. the actual document called the Declaration of independence was approved on the 4th.

Albert einstein failed maths at school

When he saw this claim published, einstein corrected it: “i never failed in mathematics. Before i was 15, i had mastered differential and integral calculus.”

marco Polo brought pasta to italy from china though wheat noodles probably existed in china for centuries before Polo visited, it’s likely pasta (or similar preparations) had arrived in italy from Arab lands well before the 13th century.

napoleon was short the ‘little corporal’ was actually slightly taller than the average frenchman of his time – 5 french feet, 2 inches. in english measurements, this is 5 feet, 7 inches.

George Washington had wooden teeth the dentures of the first us president (below) were made of hippopotamus and other animal teeth, as well as human teeth held together with ivory, gold wire and brass screws.

“let them eat cake” marie Antoinette never suggested that the breadless peasants of the 18th century should eat cake. the misattributed quote is from JeanJacques rousseau’s autobiography – the ‘great princess’ would have been only 11 at the time.

Witches were burned at the stake in salem though witch trials were certainly held in the massachusetts town of salem, there’s no evidence that ‘witches’ were burned at the stake. some 20 women were hanged or crushed, and their bodies later burned.