Emergency workers save a shepherd dog from a beach during a forest fire on August 2, 2021 in Mugla, a Marmaris' district, as Turkey struggles against its deadliest wildfires in decades. A roaring blaze raced toward a Turkish thermal power plant and farmers herded panicked cattle toward the sea as wildfires that have killed eight people raged on for a seventh day. The nation of 84 million has been transfixed in horror as the most destructive wildfires in generations erase pristine forests and rich farmland across swaths of Turkey's Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. (Photo by AFP Photo/Stringer)

Michael Grant, 28, “Philly Jesus”, carries a 12 foot cross 8 miles through this blighted area of North Philadelphia towards LOVE Park in Center City as part of a Christmas walk to spread the true message of the holiday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania December 20, 2014. As many as a half dozen others joined him for numerous miles as he trekked southward down Broad Street. Some shouted “Praise Jesus!” and “Thank you for doing this!” at the sight. Nearly everyday for the last 8 months, Grant has dressed as Jesus Christ, and walked the streets of Philadelphia to share the Christian gospel by example. He quickly acquired the nickname of “Philly Jesus”, which he has gone by ever since. (Photo by Mark Makela/Reuters)

Balinese dancers perform as they take part in a cultural parade, during a new year's eve celebration at a main road in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, 31 December 2022. (Photo by Made Nagi/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

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.

A chained male monkey in a costume and wearing a toy mask performs at a street in Depok, West Java, Indonesia, 30 September 2021. A performing monkey in a street, known as “Topeng Monyet” (lit. Monkey Mask), is a popular form of cheap entertainment in Indonesia, especially on the island of Java. (Photo by Adi Weda/EPA/EFE)

In this Sunday, August 5, 2012 file photo South Africa's Oscar Pistorius starts in the men's semi-finals of the 400-meter in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London. Pistorius could be granted parole on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 after nearly 10 years in prison for killing his girlfriend. The double-amputee Olympic runner was convicted of a charge comparable to third-degree murder for shooting Reeva Steenkamp in his home in 2013. He has been in prison since late 2014. (Photo by Anja Niedringhaus/AP Photo)

In an observance of Epiphany, Russian Orthodox believers swim in an icy pond outside Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. (Photo by Olga “Zwezdochka”)

Wendy Adriaens, owner of animal rescue farm “De Passiehoeve” and nicknamed the Ostrich Whisperer, poses for a photo with three-year-old male ostrich Flodder, in Kalmthout, Belgium, 25 July 2022. (Photo by Stephanie Lecocq/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)