This rating indicates that the main elements of the claim in question are demonstrably false.
Did Alexander the Great conquer (most of) the known world?
It is often claimed that Alexander III of Macedon conquered the known world, but is this true or simply hyperbole?
Are there tunnels under Nan Madol?
Countless storytellers tell of a network of underground tunnels beneath the ancient city of Nan Madol (Pohnpei, Micronesia). Is there any merit to these tales?
Did the Spartans only use music for military purposes?
The Spartans did use music in military contexts. Various sources attest to the practice of campaign war-songs and marching music. However, the claim that the Spartans focused only on military music – at the expense of any interest in non-military music – is simply incorrect.
Was the earth of Carthage salted after its fall during the Third Punic War?
It is often claimed that following the destruction of Carthage by the Romans, the lands of the city were salted to prevent future generations living there. But is there any evidence to support this?
Was Sparta a communist state?
Writers have often associated Sparta with a communist or proto-communist ideology, based in no small part on the writings of Plutarch. But is there any truth to this claim?
Did slaves build the Egyptian pyramids?
According to some ancient sources, the kings of ancient Egypt used large numbers of slave labour to undertake large building projects, such as the pyramids. Is there any truth to this notion?
Did Atlantis exist?
The Athenian philosopher Plato (428/7 to 348/7 BC) created the island of Atlantis as a fiction. Sadly, this has not stopped people from trying to find it.
Is Easter named after Ishtar?
Are the Easter celebrations somehow based on the ancient worship of the goddess Ishtar?
Was ancient wine more alcoholic than modern wine?
Because the ancient Greeks and Romans mixed their water with wine, it is often assumed that their wines were considerably more alcoholic than modern ones. Is this notion correct?
Were thumbs-up/thumbs-down gestures used to mean life and death in Roman gladiatorial arenas?
Popular portrayals of the gladiatorial games always present the Emperor presiding over them, gesturing with his thumb to offer his judgement: thumbs-up, the defeated gladiator may live; thumbs-down, he should die. But is there any actual evidence to support this image?