Today, many people form their idea of the ancient world based on information from popular books, TV shows and films. Long togas, sumptuous feasts, gladiatorial fights - this is how ancient society is usually represented. But scientists are sure that the image of the ancient world, which has developed among the inhabitants, has nothing to do with historical reality. In our review, there are 10 facts that break the prevailing stereotypes.
1. Africans lived in ancient Britain
Although London is one of the most multicultural cities on Earth today, it was only in the last century that blacks have become a common sight in Britain. Well, a thousand years ago, only white Europeans lived in Foggy Albion? Not certainly in that way. It turns out that the UK was inhabited by blacks at least 1,800 years ago.
Septimius Severus
In 2010, researchers from the University of Reading found evidence that people originally from North Africa lived in York. One of them, dubbed "the lady in the iron bracelet", was buried with a lot of jewelry. She probably belonged to the upper class, and was not just a traveler or a slave.
But the most famous African citizen of ancient York was the Libyan-born Roman emperor Septimius Severus, who made the city in 208 AD. his residence.
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2. Neanderthals were intellectually advanced
Not very smart people are called "Neanderthals" today. In fact, scientists point out that the cousins of the "homo sapiens" - the Neanderthals - were just as intelligent as humans. In 2014, researchers found evidence that Neanderthals in northern Europe hunted mammoths and bison into deep ravines. Such coordinated operations required strong communication and planning skills. There is also a lot of evidence that Neanderthals used tools just as much as Homo sapiens.
Neanderthal Skull
3. There were no Jewish slaves in ancient Egypt
One of the most famous biblical stories is the story of the Exodus, when, supposedly, after centuries of being enslaved in Egypt, the Jews finally managed to escape. However, despite the fact that many Jewish families allegedly wandered in the desert for 40 years, no confirmation was found. And this despite the fact that there is evidence of much smaller groups of nomads living in this region.
Slaves in Ancient Egypt
4. The Romans had laws against gluttony and feasting
Along with their penchant for cruelty, the Romans are known for their love of feasts. Probably everyone imagines a Roman party as a pile of food and wine. In fact, throughout the history of the republic, dozens of laws have been passed to limit costs and limit the amount that individuals could spend on pleasure.
Roman frescoes
5. Stonehenge was much bigger than it is now
A circle of ancient stones in the English countryside - Stonehenge - has attracted a huge number of visitors for centuries. It seems that Stonehenge has always been isolated from the day it was built, and there was not a soul around. However, if you go back to prehistoric times, it turns out that Stonehenge was surrounded by a giant, bustling metropolis. In 2014, a group of scientists completed a study of the area around Stonehenge. In addition to the giant stones themselves, evidence of the existence of chapels, burial mounds and ritual sanctuaries was found within a radius of 3 km. Even traces of large nearby settlements were found.
Stonehenge
6. Brontosaurs really existed
One of the most famous dinosaurs for nearly a century and a half is the Brontosaurus. However, since 1903, it turned out that Gofniel Mrsh (the discoverer of this lizard) simply confused the bones with the bones of the Apatosaurus. Thanks to his awkward mistake (and also to Steven Spielberg), schoolchildren today are fascinated by a dinosaur that never existed. At least that was the case until April 2015, when scientists decided that the brontosaurus really existed. Researchers at the New University of Lisbon analyzed over 81 different lizard bones and concluded that there are enough differences to distinguish Brontosaurus as a distinct species of Apatosaurus.
Brontosaurus
7. The Paleolithic menu was completely different than everyone thinks
It was always believed that ancient people did not eat bread. But in 2010, researchers found traces of 30,000-year-old flour on grinding stones in Italy and the Czech Republic. There are also other nuances. While most people believe that our ancestors ate only mammoth meat, National Geographic researchers recently concluded that meat was eaten only after a good hunt, and usually ate plant foods and meat from other animals.
Human diet
8. The Silk Road was much more than just a trade route
The Silk Road, a network of trade routes stretching from modern Italy to Indonesia, is literally an icon of ancient commerce. However, the Silk Road was much more than ordinary trade. Considering that there were no newspapers, no television, or the Internet then, the Silk Road became a means of communication, mutual learning, technological and cultural exchange, and, of course, news.
Perhaps this is how caravans traveled along the Great Silk Road
9. In ancient China, human sacrifice was practiced
Usually, when it comes to human sacrifice, everyone immediately imagines the bloodthirsty Aztecs or Maya, who killed people to make the sun rise. It turns out that another culture practiced similar - Ancient China. In 2007, archaeologists unearthed a mass grave. 47 people rested in it, who were sacrificed so that they could continue to serve their master in the afterlife. Even at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the emperor's wife was sacrificed when the emperor was dying.
Sacrifices in China
10. Many religions were persecuted in Rome, not just Christians
The stories of martyrs persecuted by the Romans are one of the main myths of Christianity. However, Christians were not actually persecuted any more than other religions in Rome. While Nero hated Christians, other emperors hated other cults just as much. In 186 BC, the Senate passed a law that outlawed the cult of Bacchus, a new religion centered on the worship of Dionysus. As Christians thereafter, members of the Bacchus cult were slandered and branded as heretics and enemies of the state. Also in the Roman state, the Druids were exterminated, and later the Jews.
Many religions persecuted in Rome