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.

An old car passes by while dark clouds are seen due to the tropical storm Idalia in Havana, on August 28, 2023. (Photo by Yamil Lage/AFP Photo)

Two models pose backstage before presenting the collection of Chinese designer Zhang Peng during the China Fashion Week in Beijing on March 29, 2019. (Photo by Fred Dufour/AFP Photo)

A man walks near a artwork of Italian artist Dario Agrimi entitled “ascesa” during a press preview of the first edition of “Roma Arte in Nuvola”, the international fair of modern and contemporary art in Rome on November 18, 2021 at the Roma Convention Center “La Nuvola”. (Photo by Tiziana Fabi/AFP Photo)

Dancers perform during the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium on October 8, 2023 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. (Photo by Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

Members of the O’Neill and Gallagher families from Sydney, Australia take to the water at the 40 Foot for a Christmas Day Swim in Ireland on December 25, 2022. (Photo by Alan Betson/The Irish Times)

A man sets himself on fire during protest rallies in front of the presidential office in Kiev, Ukraine on February 26, 2020. The man, who called himself Oleksandr Burlakov, said subsequently that his motive was to draw the attention of the authorities to his plight, related to the ownership of the land parcel. (Photo by Ihor Behus/Reuters)

Participants climb over a wall at the “Tough Mudder” endurance event series in Arnsberg September 6, 2014. Competitors who took part in the endurance event saw themselves having to overcome various military style obstacles. (Photo by Ina Fassbender/Reuters)