History is filled with surprising tales that have captivated people for centuries. From the outrageous to the downright weird, here are some of the wildest stories to have survived throughout the years:
In 2011, a wall was discovered in the garden of a house in Rome that had been buried for centuries. Its contents were so shocking that archaeologists had to call in the help of linguistics experts. As it turned out, the wall was covered in messages written in coded languages, including Latin, Greek and Phoenician, all of which were directed to the mysterious goddess ‘Astarte’.
The English village of Imber was home to a mere 150 people when it was abruptly vacated in 1943. The residents were told that it was only a practice exercise before they were never allowed to return, as the Ministry of Defence used the village as a practice site for the American soldiers during WWII. To this day, Imber remains largely abandoned, except for a few relic buildings and the occasional busload of tourists.
The people of Strasbourg experienced an inexplicable phenomenon in the summer of 1518, when hundreds began to uncontrollably dance in the streets and public squares. This bizarre incident lasted for months, and the dancers refused to stop despite the increasing exhaustion and resulting injuries. The cause of this strange event is still largely unknown, though the Church claimed the victims were possessed by demons.
In 15th century Venice, the ruling Doge had to marry a six-year-old girl in order to secure an alliance with the neighboring region of Ferrara. On their wedding night, the girl demanded a ‘dowry’ of nine horses, which the Doge had to provide in order to maintain the agreement.
In 2015, a team of explorers discovered the long-lost city of the ancient ‘Monkey God’ deep in the jungles of Honduras. The city was covered in dozens of enigmatic statues and ruins, as well as an imposing fortress that stood at the centre of the site. The team boasted of having found the mysterious city of ‘La Ciudad Blanca’, but the site has remained largely unexcavated to this day.
From the astounding to the downright outrageous, these five stories prove that sometimes history can be stranger than fiction. So, the next time you come across a curious historical tale, take the time to explore it and discover the truth behind the outlandish tales of centuries past.
Signing off...Happy Historical Exploring!
