5 Famous People Who May Have Never Existed

1. Homer

For a long time it was believed that Homer was a professional storyteller who performed and invented epic poems. Including iconic works of European literature: the Odyssey and the Iliad.

But when researchers began to closely analyze the life and work of the alleged Homer, a lot of questions arose. Scientists not only doubted that he was the author of the works attributed to him, but also could not unambiguously decide whether such a person existed in principle.

So, it is impossible to clearly determine where and when Homer lived. Some sources say 1. Herodotus. Story. Book II
2. S. Said. Homer and the Odyssey about the XIII-XII centuries BC, in others - about the IX-VIII. That is, the spread is more than 500 years! And the most famous works of the Greek - "Odyssey" and "Iliad" were recordedb. b. Powell. Homer and the Origin of the Greek Alphabet after his death. At the same time, most likely, they did not have a specific author.

M. L. West. The invention of Homer / The Classical Quarterly, but were passed from mouth to mouth, and each narrator added something of his own to the text.

This is how the “Homeric question” arose, which scientists have so far can't unravel. A significant number of researchers doubtN. P. Greenzer, M. V. Shumilin. Ancient studies in modern times. Homeric questionthat Homer the author, or even just the narrator, ever existed.

2. Lycurgus

Since ancient times, it has been consideredLycurgus / Britannicathat the state and public foundations Sparta It was founded by the legendary ruler Lycurgus. He allegedly came up with the idea of ​​regulating all spheres of life, creating a council of elders, introducing two kings and focusing on military affairs.

However, it is not known for certain which laws Lycurgus adopted. It is unclear to which of the two ruling houses of Sparta Lycurgus belonged. Herodotus believed that to the Agiades. Later authors did not agree with him and attributed Lycurgus to the Eurypontides. No one knows the exact time of the king's life. Thus, the influential ancient Greek writer Xenophon believed that the legendary Lycurgus ruled around 1000 BC, and scientists of the era of Alexander the Great wrote about the 9th century.

Contradictory estimates and insufficient information confuse modern researchers. So some of them are sureLycurgus / Britannicathat Lycurgus never existed and the Spartans invented him as a kind of founding father who created and strengthened the ancient Greek policy.

However, there is also an opposite point of view. Some historians believe that Lycurgus is a real person who saved Sparta at a difficult moment for her in the 7th century BC. Then the helots - the subordinate population of ancient Sparta - rebelled. Perhaps it was Lycurgus who suppressed the rebellion and decided on serious political transformations, which marked his name in history.

3. King Arthur

Certainly the leader of society knights round table, married to Guinevere and drawing the sword Excalibur from stone, is considered a legendary figure. But, perhaps, one of the leaders or commanders of the Celts became the historical prototype of the mythical king.

Thus, the reality of some of the events associated with Arthur is beyond doubt among historians. KnownKing Arthur / Britannicathat the Celts, who lived in the 6th century AD on the British Isle, fought against the invasion of the Germanic tribes of the Saxons and won several victories. Including under Badon - this is just one of the triumphs that is attributed to Arthur.

However, there is no other evidence for the existence of King Arthur or his prototype. Documents of the 6th century, including those that describe the Battle of Badon, do not mention the hero. The first information about the confrontation between the king and the Saxons was discoveredKing Arthur / Britannica in the Annals of Cumbria and the History of the Britons, which were compiled at least 300 years after the events themselves. But there is little trust in these sources - it is not clear where the authors borrowed the information from. Quite possibly, from some poetic works.

As a character, Arthur became popular only in the 12th century, when Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote The History of the British Kings. Therefore, it is not yet possible to identify Arthur with any specific person.

4. Ragnar Lothbrok

CountsRagnar Lothbrok / Britannicathat the legendary Ragnar, nicknamed "leather pants" (Lodbrok) lived in the 9th century. The Viking allegedly raided Britain and Paris, received land in France, but was executed by the Anglo-Saxon king Ella II.

For the first time, Ragnar is mentioned by sagas that appeared only two centuries after his alleged time of existence, and the sources themselves contradict each other. So, according to various records, Ragnar managed to make war with Charlemagne, and with his grandson Charles the Bald, and with King Ella II. About 50 years must have elapsed between the first and the last events.

The sagas themselves, which tell about the exploits of Ragnar, are full of legends and fantastic details. The Viking fights giant snakes, casts spells and wears magical amulets (and they work). In general, such information is difficult to attribute to reliable.

Of course, certain events that are associated with Ragnar really happened. For instance, vikings indeed received lands from the king of France in 841 and raided Paris in 845. But historians believe that these campaigns were led byG. Jones. History of the Vikings different people. So, most likely, Ragnar is a collective image of the Scandinavian leader, who was credited with the deeds of various people.

But some of the alleged sons of Ragnar - Ivar (Boneless), Ubba, Halfdan are consideredRagnar Lothbrok / Britannica real historical figures. Their existence is confirmed by numerous sources, including those written not Vikings. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, this trio led the Scandinavian invasion of East Anglia in 865. But historians cannot say unequivocally whether they were the children of Lothbrok or not. The problem is the same - it is not clear whether the sagas can be trusted.

5. Robin the Hood

According to legend, Robin Hood, a man of high birth, lived with his associates in the vicinity of Sherwood. He courted the beautiful Lady Marian with masterly archeryrobbed the rich and gave money to the poor. The noble robber was even erected a monument in Nottingham.

That's just the medieval ballads tellJ. R. Valdes Miyares. Who was the real Robin Hood? /National Geographic quite a different story. So, they practically do not mention Sherwood Forest. There are no flirting with noble ladies either, because Robin in the early ballads is a yeoman, who is slightly higher in rank than a commoner.

Yes, and he behaves in accordance with his low status - the legends of the XIV-XV centuries are full of bloody details. For example, Robin Hood in them wounds the sheriff with an arrow, cuts his throat, and then with pleasure continues to beat the corpse with a knife. Little John kills not only the monk going to hand over Robin to the king, but also his innocent servant. This bandit gang doesn't need witnesses.

It was precisely such gloomy stories that became popular with the illiterate English people of the 14th-15th centuries. Over time, the name Robin Hood became a household name, and English criminals of all stripes began to use it. Thus, the historian and archivist Joseph Hunter discoveredJ. R. Valdes Miyares. Who was the real Robin Hood? /National Geographic There are many such examples in English history. The Yorkshire court registers of 1226 mention a "fugitive" Robin Hood whose property is to be expropriated. A 1262 source reports William Robehode, "a member of a gang of outlaws" in Berkshire. And the document of 1354 is about Robin Hood, who was sitting in prison and awaiting judgment.

It is unlikely that among these people and other scoundrels a noble robber from Sherwood Forest could have crept in. And Robin Hood, as modern man imagines him, did not exist even in medieval stories.