A brief history of stirrups, when they first appeared in Europe, and why the Romans never used them.

Did just 300 Spartans defeat a million Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae? Or is this simply a heroic myth?

Do statues of a horse and rider reveal how the named person died. In the United Kingdom, and the United States, this is a popular urban myth.

For those of us of a certain age, you might remember being told at school that the children’s rhyme "Ring a Ring a Roses" was all about the Great Plague that swept Britain in AD 1665 to 1666. The evidence from studying folklore suggests its all a myth.

You could be forgiven for thinking the medical procedure known as Caesarean section was named for Roman statesman and general, Gaius Julius Caesar. It is, however, a myth. Find out why.

One of the history workshops that Tastes Of History offers for schools is on the Vikings. In doing so, we try to get our costume as accurate as possible so, just like the Vikings, we don't wear horned helmets. Find out why as we dispel a myth.

Today we use the term “Viking” for anyone from the Scandinavian communities of Denmark, Norway and Sweden during the late 8th to late 11th centuries.  In Britain, therefore, the “Viking Age” is commonly understood as the period from the earliest recorded raid in AD 793[1]until the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.  To call all of these people 'Vikings' is mistaken as the name doesn't really describe the distinct tribes, groups or communities of the Early Mediæval period. Fi

Ancient Athens in the 5th-century BC is often held to be the birthplace of democracy.  The idea, however, was not unique to Athens.  Other city-states (poleis, sing.polis) also adopted the principle of giving their citizens the right to decide on the issues facing them, but none are as well documented as Athens.  So, for most western democracies it is to ancient Athens that they look for inspiring modern government. But how much would we recognise of Athenian democracy?

Most people in western culture recognise the "thumbs up" gesture as one that indicates all is well, while conversely "thumbs down" means the exact opposite. Reinforced by movies and the media, nearly everyone accepts that the gestures hail from the days of the Romans. But it's a myth. Find out why.

Dispelling the popular myth that Cleopatra's Needle, an ancient Egyptian obelisk in London has any connection with the Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt.

In April 1606 Britain adopted a new national flag, but is it a "Union Flag" or a "Union Jack"? Find out here.

Once again a recently broadcast popular UK television programme promoted yet another “factoid”. A throw away comment, on camera, repeated the fiction that people in the 17th-century believed the Earth was flat. Sadly this myth was debunked ages ago.

In an effort to continually improve our knowledge we came across “History…The Interesting Bits!”, a blog by Sharon Bennett Connolly. In October 2019, the blog posted a piece by guest writer James Wright, a buildings archaeologist with Triskele Heritage, who busted several myths surrounding the construction of castles.

Look up whilst you are visiting castles and you will often see voids in the overhead masonry. Find out how these "murder holes" aided the defence of a castle.

Sometimes when watching a television programme or film, the simplest thing can ruin its enjoyment. For example, an officer walks into a room and a soldier salutes. All well and good but where does the idea of saluting come from?

Mention the word "swastika", or worse draw or display the image, and today you risk causing offence for so many valid reasons. Discover how this symbol was once commonly used over much of the world without stigma, because quite simply it represented good luck.

Stonehenge in England is known for its alignment with the summer solstice sunrise, and it remains a popular destination for thousands of revellers welcoming the longest day of the year. But should they actually be celebrating the winter solstice? Find out more.

The history of the game of quoits appears, on the face of it, to have an ancient origin. At least that is what you would believe from several website authors who attribute the game's invention to ancient Greece. The evidence, however, suggests this is pure myth.

What do the letters “SRD” marked on stoneware jars mean?

Yet another TV drama refers to Britain's Secret Service, but why?  Britain has not had a "secret service" since the end of the Second World War. Why, then, do journalists, media types, film and TV producers continue to confuse the title with the US agency of the same name?