They have regaled history books, anecdotes, and epics. It’s understandable if you get confused about whether they really existed or they were simply products of an author’s imagination. Evan Andrews tells of historic individuals who may not have existed and legendary figures whose stories may have actually been based on real people’s lives.
Camelot’s King Arthur
The king supposedly existed in the 5th or 6th century, and won many battles against Saxon invaders. There was a lone account of the king and his knights in the “History of the Kings of Britain” by Geoffrey of Monmouth. Sir Thomas Malory eventually depicts the king as a myth in his “Le Morte d’Arthur.” Historians do believe, however, that stories of the legendary king could have been based on the war exploits of King Ambrosius Aurelianus, King Riothamus, or Roman general Lucius Artorius Castus.
Pythagoras, the Greek Thinker
With the Pythagorean Theorem in his name, he can’t be unreal, you’d think. However, there is no historical account of the great philosopher and mathematician’s life. Some accounts place his existence between the 5th and the 6th century B.C. The theorem itself is put forth by the Pythagoreans, supposedly his followers.
John Henry
The legendary character is a brawny steel drill driver who died during a railroad tunnel construction. His story was immortalized in an 1800s folk song telling his story of strength and pure doggedness. While the story is clearly fiction, many believe that it is based on the life of John William Henry whose life and death paralleled that of the fictional character. Another fellow by the name of John Henry Dabney also died colliding with a steam drill.
Homer
It’s not only the authenticity of his masterpieces, “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey,” that are often the subject of speculations, but his identity is often questioned as well. Homer supposedly lived between the 7th and 8th century B.C. and wrote persuasive speeches widely emulated in ancient Greece. Aside from the known account that the poet was blind and was born on the island of Chios, there isn’t much biographical detail about him. Scholars theorize that the narratives were written by different poets and Homer was an invented figure to give the epic pieces a single author.
Robin Hood
Could the folklore hero actually be based on a real person? Historical records show bandits named “Rabunhod” and “Robehod.” Some popular stories connect him to King Richard the Lion Heart. Historians, however, have not found solid proof that Robin Hood is not merely a medieval myth.
Lycurgus
Considered one of the important historical figures who shaped Sparta, Lycurgus’ biography is somewhat too mythical to be real. Reforms in civil, cultural, and military laws were attributed to him. However, there is no evidence that the man actually existed.