Cosplayer Johnny McPhung as Robin poses at Day 2 of WonderCon 2023 at Anaheim Convention Center on March 25, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton/FilmMagic)

Pope Francis meets Spider-Man, who presents him with his mask, at the end of his weekly general audience with a limited number of faithful in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. The masked man works with sick children in hospitals. (Photo by Andrew Medichini/AP Photo)

Chinese US fashion blogger Jessica Wang poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film “Aline” at the 74th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, July 13, 2021. (Photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)

Human canvases modelling world famous artworks including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Edvard Munch's The Scream take to the streets of London in a bid to mend Britain's disconnect with art on September 25, 2017. Award winning body paint artist Sarah Attwell was commissioned by online art platform Rise Art to show that great art is for everybody, following research that revealed 1 in 6 Brits have never set foot in an art gallery. (Photo by Imagewise Ltd/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A Saudi woman holds a falcon as she participate for the first time in the 2nd Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 16, 2019. (Photo by Ahmed Yosri/Reuters)

An artists performs on the street during a Myfest festival marking the May Day in the Kreuzberg district in Berlin, Germany on May 1, 2018. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

Do you think that history is a science? Well, not exactly. First, and foremost, history is the state's “legend of wars”, it’s official regalia. Of course, public historians are not interested in scientific truth – quite the opposite. In this respect, any attempt to present a state’s history as altruistic and benevolent as possible is welcomed and encouraged – as opposed to any revisionism attempts that may be more accurate. In this matter, Chinese have surpassed us all – they revised in highly creative manner (but rather shamelessly) the technology already invented by Europeans, a process that resulted in oldest state on the planet. Here is an interesting paradox: ask any sinologist about the Middle Kingdom during second century B.C., and he will describe it to you in such a vivid manner as if he has been living there all his life – but as soon as you will ask him to describe Chinese history in the 19-20th centuries… let's say, his eagerness will be greatly diminished. However, we will discuss China in a different article, and in the meantime we will try to understand how exactly historic “legend of wars” is formed and functions – based on a specific and well-known example. A great example is Ferdinand Magellan's first voyage around the world.

Jockeys and their horses compete in the Cross Country Chase, the fourth race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, in Cheltenham, western England on March 12, 2025. (Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP Photo)