JOIN
OUR EMAIL LIST!
SIGN UP

People Break Down Historical Facts That Sound Truthful But Are Actually Totally Wrong

Image by Comfreak from Pixabay

There are some historical facts that we just love to talk about.

They humanize the faraway past by reminding that the human beings of long ago are humans all the same, full of petty flaws, shocking capacities for selfishness, and very weird traditions.

But those fun historical facts, though popular for their surprising nature, are actually not true at all. Perhaps that's why they were so surprising in the first place.

A recent list on Reddit showed that a head-scratching historical face may be stunning for a reason.

Here's to exercising healthy skepticism the next time someone drops one of these at a party.

doggies_keeper asked, "What historical fact sounds truthful but is actually false?"

A Grotesque Imagination

"The Iron Maiden was a medieval torture device."

"As far as I recall, the concept was created by a rich old crazy man in the late 1800s for a display and it sort of worked its way into the public consciousness."

"But it was never used as a torture implement, medieval or otherwise."

-- I-Euan

Stranger Than Fiction

"I'm from the UK and I have a Aussie friend who couldn't believe that Sherlock Holmes was fictional and that 'Jack the Ripper' was a real person. If you think about it, it makes sense."

"A shrouded, invisible slasher prowling the streets of London (who's identity to this day is a mystery) is a real historical figure..."

"...and a man who investigates and solves real crimes who's address is known and who actually has a real statue outside of a tube station in London is a character made up in a fictional series of novels."

-- BlueLegiion

Vomit Them Out

"Vomitoriums were places for Romans to vomit during feasts so they could continue eating."

"They were actually just entrances/exits to amphitheatres." -- Lucaanis

"I've heard it said that the Colosseum in Rome could empty in 15-20 minutes. This was amazing design." -- displaced_virginian

Collective Will is the True Variable 

"Electric cars are pretty recent technology."

"Actually, around 1900 about 30% of cars were electric. New York even had a grid of public charging stations." -- MeltingDog

"It is astounding how much engineering has been (rightly) justified by gasoline's simple energy density advantage."

"The internal combustion engine has been refined for more than a century, and even now is orders of magnitude more complex, expensive, and fragile than an electric motor... but it runs on gasoline and that's enough." -- aetius476

Smear Campaign

"Napoleon wasn't short. He was average height." -- thedudeisalwayshere

"For his time, it was even a bit more than average!" -- Taurock

"It was pretty much propaganda by the British. His personal guards were all big guys too, so gave the appearance of him being shorter." -- tunkerz

Get This Straight 

"The 1989 Tiananmen Square protests were peaceful and the "Tank man" standing in front of the tank was the highlight of the protests."

"In reality somewhere between 300 and 10,000 students were massacred."

-- gimmieasammich

What Was Nero Like?

"Nero playing the fiddle as Rome burned"

"1.) That instrument hadn't been invented yet, and wouldn't be for centuries."

"2.) Even if you swapped it out with a lyre, historical sources disagree on Nero's true character (as they do for many emperors)."

"He might have actually done all he could to save as many lives as possible during the fire (e.g. opening the gates of his imperial gardens, so people trapped in the cramped urban space had somewhere to evacuate to)"

-- AdvocateSaint

And Tour Guides Have Been Dealing With It Ever Since 

"Marie Antoinette said, 'let them eat cake.'"

"Actually, she didn't, and this is such a widely accepted mistake, that when you take a tour of Versailles one of the first things your tour guide will tell you, unprompted, is 'and no, Marie Antoinette did not say let them eat cake, please stop spreading this lie.'"

-- Aniosophy

A Hodge Podge of All Things Not Calcium 

"George Washington's teeth..."

"Despite many people believing they were made of wood, they contained no wood. They were actually made of slave teeth, as well as other materials such as hippopotamus ivory, brass, or gold."

-- boffohijinx

Wildly Impractical 

"That Vikings had horns on their hats. That was invented by the Victorians." -- GLaDOS815

"If they did have horns, they wouldn't be very useful. They're just a target to knock your hat off, or if it's strapped on, a lever to chop your head off." -- BlueManedHawk

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

historical facts

People Share The Best Examples Of 'Whoever Designed This Must Not Even Use Their Own Product'

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

You know, I've seen countless "no texting while driving campaigns" and I agree with the premise. I think it is dangerous not to have your eyes on the road. That's how accidents happen. With that said, don't car manufacturers think it's counterintuitive to include touchscreens instead of knobs or dials in new cars these days? You have to take your eyes off the road to adjust anything. I think it's hazardous, especially if you happen to be driving in inclement weather.

After Redditor TheTenthDimension asked the online community, "What's your best example of 'Whoever designed this must not use their own product'?" people shared some suggestions.

Keep reading... Show less

People Explain Which Things They're Really Good At But Don't Actually Enjoy Doing

Image by Ana Krach from Pixabay

If only all the things we excelled at were also the very things we loved to do most. But sadly, that is not the way it goes.

Instead, some horrible force of the universe made you way better at, say, sewing the holes of pants than playing guitar. The universe can be a spiteful, fickle jerk.

Keep reading... Show less
boring

People Break Down The Cruelest Thing A Family Member Has Ever Said To Them

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

In a perfect world, family has your back harder than anyone else.

In the real world, it can sometimes be your family that cuts deeper than anyone else. Intentional or not, the people closest to you have the ability to seriously super suck.

No, you're not the only one who has dealt with a mom who just, for the life of themselves, can't NOT be critical. Or a dad who just always seemed chronically underwhelmed by you.

Keep reading... Show less
family

People Break Down The Absolute Worst Things That Are Actually Socially Acceptable

Image by analogicus from Pixabay

Society is an odd conundrum when you attempt to wrap your head around it. This phenomena typically occurs whenever you witness a new trend or share experience and everyone seems to go along with it. Only much later, when you think about it with a bit of critical thinking, do you notice something might be off.

Going against society can be strained, difficult, like pulling back a sticker that's been on way too long, however sometimes it's necessary to get rid of what we probably shouldn't be so welcoming of.

Keep reading... Show less