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".

History is not only the study of past events, particularly in human affairs, but it is most uniquely, also a continuous, typically chronological, record of such events. This teaching resource is a simple guide to how history has been recorded.

It may seem strange to us today but why did the ancient Greeks exercise, train and compete naked? This simple teaching resource explains why and aims to dispel the myths.

Continuing the series "Ludi", and following on from ancient Egypt, here are selection of board games played by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

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 brief history of the pineapple, a tropical plant with an edible fruit indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuries.

What's in a name? Where barbarians really just uncouth savages or is there more to the original meaning behind this term?

"Ludi" is a series on ancient games. The ancient Egyptian board game of Senet is one of the oldest games in the world and may be the ancestor of modern backgammon. Senet represents the two players' journey through the afterlife.

According to a BBC News tweet , the "Welsh leek" could be set for protected status. "A Brief History of Foods", reveals how surprisingly few of our commonly used ingredients are not native to these shores. Such is the case with leeks, whose Welsh heritage is not so clear cut.

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.

"Ludi" is a series on ancient games. Aseb is the ancient Egyptian version of the ancient Middle Eastern game called "The Game of 20 Squares". Aseb is a two player race game similar to Senet and the Royal Game of Ur, but with a shorter playing duration.

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.

On This Day, February 26th in 1852, 450 perish as the troopship HMS Birkenhead sinks off the coast of South Africa. The soldiers' chivalry gave rise to the unofficial ‘women and children first’ code of conduct for abandoning ship. The ‘Birkenhead drill’ as it was termed in Rudyard Kipling's 1893 tribute to the Royal Marines, ‘Soldier an' Sailor Too’, would later come to describe courage in the face of hopeless circumstances.

The last battle on British soil is commonly accepted as being the French invasion at Fishguard in 1797. One of the popular stories arising from this event centres on Welsh women in "national" costume being key to the French failure. But is this truly what happened?

On This Day, February 22nd in 1797 Britain was "invaded" for the last time in its long history.

"Ludi" is a series on ancient games. Mehen is an ancient Egyptian multi-player board game dating to before 3100 BC.

On This Day, February 8th, 1587, after 19 years of imprisonment, Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle.

On This Day, February 1st in 1709, Alexander Selkirk, believed to be the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s novel ‘Robinson Crusoe’, was rescued after being marooned for over four years on the Juan Fernandez Islands.

On This Day, January 29th in 1856, the Victoria Cross was introduced by Royal Warrant.