We started this three years ago and to this date is the most
read article we have. So to keep the
tradition of ruining all your historical facts, we proudly present another nine
facts you know – that are utterly false.
Note: not ten, because that would be a cliche'. Nine, so
we wouldn't traumatize you into a state of shock. So if you are
one of those who still think that Cleopatra was Egyptian, or Pink was a girls
color, you should read on…
As we haplessly walk through our lives knowing that our
collection of knowledge is securely grounded in fact, little did we suspect
that many things that we hold as inalienable truths are, for all intents and
purposes, fanciful allegories to romantically instill a sense of inspiration.
It can't be because we're ignorant, or gullible, or both. Better to blame
the fifth-grade teachers. For shame, Mrs. Legget. For shame. So to
illustrate what we are talking about, we thought we would shed light on some of
these inalienable truths, and perhaps set the record straight.
1) 300
Spartans Held Off a Persian Hoard at a Narrow Pass for 3 Days
Well, yes. But they had a heck of a lot of help. History often forgets the
4,000 Greek allies who fought alongside the Spartans before retreating, as well
as the 1,500 who stood with the Spartans during their epic last stand. We know
your life likely seems to have lost all meaning upon learning this fact. After
all, 1,800 doesn't have nearly as cool of a ring as 300.
In the film “300” there is a constant reiteration that only
300 fought against two million, of which probably one million died in the
course of the film. In reality the “freedom”-loving Spartans used slaves along
with free “citizen-soldiers,” while the Persians employed paid forces and no
slaves.
The battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE) has been recorded as the last stand of 300 Spartans who died to the very last man to protect free Greece, which is a myth happily held up by the modern West as a symbol of resistance against the East.
In fact, each of the Spartans had seven slaves (the same helots mentioned above, who also fought to the death) with him in battle, bringing the total to 2400, plus another 2,000 non-Spartan Greeks (Thespians and Lacedaemonians) who also died. Some estimates put the Greek forces at Thermopylae as high as 7,000.
The Persian force was not in the millions. An ancient army could never have mustered so many people, even if the Persians had resorted to slavery. But of course 300 against millions sounds much better than thousands of Spartans against thousands of Persians.
The battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE) has been recorded as the last stand of 300 Spartans who died to the very last man to protect free Greece, which is a myth happily held up by the modern West as a symbol of resistance against the East.
In fact, each of the Spartans had seven slaves (the same helots mentioned above, who also fought to the death) with him in battle, bringing the total to 2400, plus another 2,000 non-Spartan Greeks (Thespians and Lacedaemonians) who also died. Some estimates put the Greek forces at Thermopylae as high as 7,000.
The Persian force was not in the millions. An ancient army could never have mustered so many people, even if the Persians had resorted to slavery. But of course 300 against millions sounds much better than thousands of Spartans against thousands of Persians.
2) The U.S. has 50 States
The term "Commonwealth" does not describe or
provide for any specific political status or legal relationship when used by a
state. Those that do use it are equal to
those that do not. A traditional English term for a political community founded
for the common good, it is used symbolically to emphasize that these states
have a "government based on the common consent of the people" as
opposed to one legitimized through their earlier colonial status that was derived
from the British crown. It refers to the common "wealth", or welfare,
of the public and is derived from a loose translation of the Latin term ‘res
publica.”
Criminal charges in these four states are brought in the
name of the "Commonwealth".
3) George Washington Did Not Have Wooden Dentures ... Although He Did Have False Donkey Teeth
According to historical "fact", the very-first
President of the United States and the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental
Army during the American Revolutionary War, George Washington, had an appalling
record with his teeth and so had wooden dentures inserted. The first part of this is true, but Washington did not have wooden teeth. He did, however, have at least four other sets of false teeth throughout his life - made from a variety of bizarre materials. Having lost his first adult tooth at the age of 22, Washington had just one left by the time he became President in April 1789.
It is believed that the use of mercury oxide to treat such illnesses as malaria and smallpox contributed to this rapid loss of teeth. With his dentist John Greenwood constructing the majority of Washington's dentures, the first set of false teeth the latter used as President were carved from elephant and hippopotamus ivory and they were held together using gold springs.
Worryingly, before this Washington had a set made using real human teeth, supposedly purchased from African-American slaves? Other sets were made from such materials at donkey teeth, horse teeth, ivory and lead - with the one pictured above believed to have been constructed from a combination of both cow and human teeth.
4) Cleopatra Was Not Egyptian... She Was Of Greek Origin But Portrayed Herself as an Egyptian Goddess
Once Alexander the Great died in 323 BC, the Ptolemaic dynasty took control of Egypt - and Cleopatra was a descendant of this family, ruling on the Egyptian throne between 51 BC and 12 BC. In all popular culture, Cleopatra appears to be portrayed as being a native Egyptian, yet she was descended from a foreign family who ruling the nation - just like the Normans in England following the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
In addition, this image may have been built by Cleopatra herself, as she wanted to legitimize her reign by making herself appear as Egyptian as possible. As well as learning the language, Cleopatra also claimed to be a reincarnation of Egyptian goddess Isis.
5) Marie Antoinette Did Not Declare "Let Them Eat Cake" To The French Peasantry... The Quote Was Merely Misattributed To Her
Queen Antoinette was pretty much hated by all French
peasants and, although she may have thought it, she never actually told the starving
18th-Century proletariat to €œeat cake€. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his book
Confessions, wrote the line: Make-shift of a great princess who was told that
the peasants had no bread and replied: €˜Let them eat brioche€™.€ This
satirical piece only implied that Antoinette said it, in a sarcastic way, but
the reality is she didn’t€ tell the French peasantry to eat a sweet, French
cake-like bread as an alternative to their normal baguette.6) Lady Godiva Did Not Ride Naked On Horseback Through The Streets Of Coventry... But She Did Plead For Her Husband To Reduce Taxes
The first account of this tale does not appear until 1236, long after Godiva had died. Interestingly, the term "Peeping Tom" - used to refer to voyeurs - also originates from later telling’s of the legend of Godiva supposedly riding through Coventry stark naked.
7) Emperor Nero Did Not Play His Fiddle While Rome Burned... In Fact He was 30 miles Away When the Fire Broke Out
The Great Fire of Rome devastated the capital of the great
Empire between July 18th and 26th in the year 64 CE - and Emperor Nero has been
accused of both starting the fire himself, as well as playing the fiddle while
the population suffered.
Supposedly, Nero decided to start the fire so he could take credit for eventually stopping the devastation that ensued - and then ran up into the Tower of Maecenas and enjoyed himself by playing the fiddle, singing and watching his subjects suffer. However, Tacitus - one of the most-trustworthy historians of the time - documents that Nero was not even in Rome at the time, but was a full 30 miles away at his villa in Antium.
Although this doesn't end suspicion that Nero was involved in the breakout of the fire - he still could have commanded it even if he wasn't there - it does suggest that the Emperor could not have been in the tower playing music while panic erupted across the capital.
Supposedly, Nero decided to start the fire so he could take credit for eventually stopping the devastation that ensued - and then ran up into the Tower of Maecenas and enjoyed himself by playing the fiddle, singing and watching his subjects suffer. However, Tacitus - one of the most-trustworthy historians of the time - documents that Nero was not even in Rome at the time, but was a full 30 miles away at his villa in Antium.
Although this doesn't end suspicion that Nero was involved in the breakout of the fire - he still could have commanded it even if he wasn't there - it does suggest that the Emperor could not have been in the tower playing music while panic erupted across the capital.
8) Pink started as a boy’s color — in fact, blue was for girls and pink was for boys
Even when mass marketing began, the messages were mixed. The trade publication “Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department” featured an article suggesting, “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.
9) Wall Streeter’ didn't jump to their deaths following the market crash of 1929.
Between Black Thursday and the
end of 1929, only four suicides were plunges linked to the events that sparked
the Great Depression. And only two of those occurred on Wall Street, Slate reported.
The president of County Trust
Co. and the head of Rochester Gas and Electric did both kill themselves — but
they used guns.
The rumors reportedly started
when comedians began cracking jokes about the sad state of the economy. For
example, Will Rogers quipped that “you had to stand in line to get a window to
jump out of," according to Slate. Both the New York Times and New York's
chief medical examiner tried to set the record straight but to no avail.
We would like to thank our sponsors, for without them - our fine content wouldn't be deliverable!
Source(s)
- http://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/10-false-history-facts.htm
- http://www.scout.com/Article/9-history-facts-you-know-that-are-wrong-105117229
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_(U.S._state)
- http://tourajdaryaee.com/commentary/go-tell-the-spartans-how-300-misrepresents-persians-in-history/
___________________________________________________________
About Rick Ricker
An IT professional with over 23 years experience in Information Security, wireless broadband, network and Infrastructure design, development, and support.
For more information, contact Rick at (800) 399-6085 x502
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