One of the more enduring popular “ myths ” is the idea that the great pyramids at Giza in northern Egypt were constructed (c. 2575 - c. 2465 BC) by a vast army of maltreated slaves. How this falsehood has flourished for centuries and even transformed popular perceptions of a historical event can be laid firmly at the feet of Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484 - c. 420 BC). Although considered to be the “ father of history ” , Herodotus was responsible for passing on a number

Dispelling a myth that Cheshire cheese has Roman origins.

Dispelling some myths about what "Blitzkrieg" meant and whether it was ever an official German army tactic in World War Two.

Where does the name "Beefeater" for the British King's bodyguard come from?

On television 'Trench Art' is frequently described as objects handcrafted by soldiers in the trenches of the First World War. The truth is less clear-cut. Find out why as we dispel some myths.

Asked to imagine or portray a pirate, most people undoubtedly will have a certain look in mind. But the pop culture version was created by fiction writers and movies-makers. So, what did pirates look like? Dispelling some myths about Pirates.

The widely accepted view is that Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, was ethnically an olive-skinned Macedonian Greek. Some argue, however, that the 'African' queen was a black woman. Who's right? What evidence is there to know how the enigmatic queen looked?

It's a story that's lasted over 900 years but what is the truth behind Lady Godiva's naked ride through the streets of Anglo-Saxon Coventry?

Dispelling the popular misconceptions that people were shorter and didn't live as long in the past.

While teaching primary school children about the Romans, and specifically hygiene, we have encountered the belief that they cleaned their teeth with urine. We dispel this myth while explaining what uses urine did have in the past.

Science overwhelmingly agrees that urine is not safe or healthy to consume. Despite what some might claim, drinking urine offers no health benefits and actually could cause you harm.

The first Europeans to settle in the Americas were the Vikings. Perhaps we should call it 'Norse America'.

In the big scheme of things today’s post is a very minor gripe. It does, however, reflect on the historical accuracy of television dramas, documentaries and films. You may not have noticed it, but it happens pretty much every time characters interact over a radio. Once pointed out, then, like an ear worm, you will hear it often. Today’s bug bear is "Over and Out".

In the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in Roma there is a mosaic, dating from the early 1st-century AD, depicting various food items including a basket of fruit brimming with figs, grapes, pomegranates, and one curious object. Some viewers see a pineapple and this has led others to postulate this as clear evidence that the ancient Romans had contact with South America. Find out why it's a myth.

A recent search of the internet for information on Roman artillery machines returned, amongst other results, a website with a page entitled ‘The Roman Trebuchet Catapults’ [sic]. The title is misleading and we challenge the 'facts' cited.

Farinata, a classic Italian street food, is claimed to have been discovered by Roman soldiers who baked chickpea flour pancakes on their shields. For good reason this is undoubtedly a myth. Find out why.

It is widely held, and oft repeated, that ancient Britons, and most especially the Picts, painted or tattooed their bodies with Woad.We all know that, because depictions of the Iron Age or Roman period on television and film nearly always show the indigenous tribespeople painted in 'mystical' blue designs. It seems, however, that the evidence for Woad inspired body art is not as rock solid as one might have hoped. Another myth to be dispelled?

Somehow we got talking about ghosts a couple of days ago. We both were reminded of working at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and how it claimed to be one of the most haunted places in the UK. We both seemed to recall that Mary, Queen of Scots was one of those said to roam the grounds, but were we remembering correctly? Not only that, but wasn't Mary executed at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire? Why would she be haunting Tutbury some 75 miles distant? We had to check.

Dispelling the Myth that the murderous "Barber of Fleet Street", Sweeney Todd, was a real person. And there's a recipe for "A Beef Steak Pye".

It is often asserted on television and online that a skilled Welsh or English longbowman could shoot about 12 arrows per minute. But what is the origin of this claim, and just how true is it?