The band “Baby In Vain” and the dancegroup Corpus perform at the Gloria Stage at Roskilde Festival on July 3, 2019. (Photo by Helle Arensbak/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP Photo)

Actors Patrick Brammall and Anne Hathaway seen on the set of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in Brooklyn on August 05, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)

A man dressed as a traditional character in the “Baile de Negras” dance poses for a picture on the feast day of the Virgin of the Candelaria (Candlemas) in the town of Diriomo, some 45 km from Managua, Nicaragua on February 2, 2017 Candlemas falls forty days after Christmas and is celebrated by Catholics as the presentation of Christ at the Temple. (Photo by Inti Ocon/AFP Photo)

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.

Supporters of Honduran presidential candidate for the Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship party Salvador Nasralla, are affected by tear gas during a protest outside the Electoral Supreme Court (TSE), to demand the announcement of the election final results in Tegucigalpa, on November 30, 2017. (Photo by Orlando Sierra/AFP Photo)

Artists wearing Japanese traditional clown masks march during the First Konpira Festival at Kotohiragu shrine in Tokyo Wednesday, January 10, 2018. The shrine is dedicated to sailors and seafaring. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)

American television personality, author and former model Brandi Glanville is seen on June 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by GP/Star Max/GC Images)

“My goal was to capture the image of a storm that emulated an atomic explosion”, Dobrowner says of this picture. Here: “Monsoon”, Lordsburg, N.M., 2010. (Photo by Roger Hill)