Throughout history some myths have become popular beliefs. From the idea that Cleopatra was Egyptian to the belief that three caravels discovered the New World, did soccer originate in England, or did pirates really mark their treasures with an “X”? Join us as we explore the hidden truth behind these historical myths.
Cleopatra: The Foreign Queen of the Nile
Although she was crowned at the age of eighteen and ruled Egypt for two decades, Cleopatra was actually Greek, a direct descendant of Ptolemy I, the right-hand man of Alexander the Great. Ptolemy came from Macedonia, a region north of Greece. In 305 b.C., Ptolemy proclaimed himself pharaoh of Egypt, establishing a 275-year dynasty.
It was common for the Ptolemies to marry between brothers and sisters to avoid the dispersion of power. In addition, all male heirs were given the name Ptolemy, and females were called Cleopatra or Berenice. This makes it extremely difficult to trace the family tree of the family, and is also the reason why it is not known with certainty who Cleopatra’s mother was. However, it can be stated that she was of pure Macedonian Greek descent.
Two Caravels, Not Three
One of the most popular myths is that Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World with three caravels. However, only two of these vessels, La Niña and La Pinta, were caravels, while La Santa María was a nao. In fact, Columbus in his diaries refers to La Santa Maria as “the nao captain” and it was initially called “La Gallega” because it was built in Galicia.
It was not until 1892, during the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America, that several scholars and intellectuals claimed that Columbus had used two caravels and a nao. The differences between these types of vessels lie mainly in their size, capacity, structure and speed.
Soccer: An English Invention?
Although modern soccer began to take shape in England during the 19th century, the idea of the game has much older roots. In medieval China, during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 a.C.), a sport called cuju or tsu’ was played. In this game, two teams attempted to score goals at opposite ends of the field without using their hands by kicking a ball made of leather stuffed with fur or feathers. The goals, according to some historical records, were larger and the nets were tied between two bamboo poles. Over time, cuju influenced other countries, such as Japan, where the game was also adapted.
The Mythical X of Treasure
One of the most persistent myths about pirates is the idea that they marked the place where they buried their treasures with a simple “X” on maps. This image has been popularized by literature and movies, especially novels such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883). However, the historical reality is quite different.
Actually there is not even any evidence that a pirate drew a treasure map. It is only known that privateer William Kidd (1645–1701) buried part of his fortune on Gardiner Island. Kidd did so in an attempt to protect his treasure in the midst of his legal troubles and after being accused of piracy.
Vikings: Helmets with Horns?
The association between the Vikings and horned helmets arose in the 19th century, when the illustrator Gustav Malmström depicted Viking warriors with horned helmets for the book Frithiof’s Saga in 1820. However, archaeologists have never discovered a horned helmet that belonged to the Vikings. Most of these horned helmets belong to the Celts, such as the helmet found in the River Thames in 1860. The only known Viking helmet is an iron helmet found in 1943 at Gjermundbu farm in Norway. This helmet, dated to the 10th century, shows no trace of horns.
Bibliographic References
Lloyd, J., & Harkin, J. (2006). The book of general ignorance. Faber and Faber.
Moreno Vallori, A. (2023, May 25). Carlos Blanco, Niño Prodigio Superdotado | Mentiras Históricas | Crónicas Marcianas 1999. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/8-AIHKbwJ2s?si=lNELC8OToRUA4CXn
García Madrid, F. (2021, June 15). ¿De dónde procede la falsa imagen de los cuernos en los cascos de los vikingos?https://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20210615/7529298/reto-falsa-imagen-cuernos-cascos-vikingos.html
