History of Pseudohistory

Pseudohistory refers to a body of work or narratives that claim to be historical but lack a foundation in verifiable…

By Staff , in Pseudoscience , at September 27, 2024 Tags: pseudoscience

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Pseudohistory refers to a body of work or narratives that claim to be historical but lack a foundation in verifiable evidence, rigorous methodology, or peer-reviewed scholarship. It often promotes false, exaggerated, or speculative historical claims and is sometimes driven by political, ideological, or cultural agendas. Pseudohistory is similar to pseudoscience, in that it mimics the form of academic history while disregarding the standards and methods that professional historians use to evaluate evidence. Over time, pseudohistorical narratives have been used to justify nationalism, racism, conspiracy theories, and myth-making.

Early Examples of Pseudohistory
Ancient and Medieval Times:
In ancient and medieval societies, historical writing often blurred the line between myth and reality. Early historical records frequently combined legends, oral traditions, and religious beliefs with factual events. Although these works weren’t necessarily pseudohistory by modern standards, they included speculative or mythological elements.
Works like Herodotus’s “Histories” (5th century BCE) mixed first-hand accounts with myths and fantastical stories, such as tales of mythical creatures or far-off lands. Similarly, medieval chronicles often wove miracles and divine interventions into their depictions of history.

Political and Religious Agendas:
In the medieval and Renaissance periods, rulers and religious institutions sometimes rewrote history to legitimize their power. For example, forged documents, such as the Donation of Constantine (which claimed to grant the pope sovereignty over vast territories), were used to justify religious or political authority. It was later revealed to be a fabrication in the 15th century by the scholar Lorenzo Valla.

Early Nationalism:
In the 16th and 17th centuries, nationalism began to influence historical writing, leading to the creation of historical myths that glorified the origins of emerging nation-states. For instance, in England, the myth of an ancient “British race” derived from Brutus of Troy (as written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century) was used to construct a mythical ancestry for the English people, linking them to the Trojan War.

The Enlightenment and the Rise of Historical Methodology
Development of Critical History:
During the Enlightenment in the 18th century, there was a growing focus on empiricism and rational inquiry, which led to the development of modern historical methodology. Historians like Edward Gibbon and Voltaire emphasized the use of primary sources, evidence, and critical analysis when writing history.
As professional historians increasingly emphasized the need for evidence-based history, the distinction between genuine history and pseudohistory became clearer.

Emergence of Pseudohistory:
Even as historical scholarship developed, pseudohistorical narratives persisted. One famous example from this period is Jean Hardouin’s theory that most classical literature was fabricated during the Middle Ages, an eccentric claim that was unsupported by any evidence.
The late 18th and 19th centuries also saw the rise of Biblical archaeology and other efforts to use the Bible as a literal historical text. Many of these attempts mixed faith with speculative historical claims, some of which lacked empirical support.

19th and 20th Century Pseudohistory
Romantic Nationalism:
In the 19th century, with the rise of Romanticism and nationalism, many countries sought to create glorious pasts to bolster national identity. This led to the emergence of nationalist pseudohistories, which often exaggerated or entirely fabricated aspects of a nation’s past.
For example, Nazi ideology in the 20th century used pseudohistorical claims to assert the superiority of the Aryan race. The Nazis appropriated elements of pseudoarchaeology (such as the theories of Heinrich Himmler’s Ahnenerbe) to claim that the Aryans were the original human civilization and that Germanic peoples were descended from them. These ideas were used to justify the Holocaust and other racial policies.

Lost Civilizations and Atlantis:
The 19th century also saw the rise of speculative history regarding lost civilizations, particularly with the popularity of Atlantis myths. Ignatius Donnelly, a former U.S. congressman, published “Atlantis: The Antediluvian World” in 1882, claiming that Atlantis was the source of all known human civilizations. His work, despite lacking credible evidence, influenced later pseudohistorical theories, particularly in alternative archaeology.
Hyperdiffusionism also became a popular pseudohistorical idea in this period, suggesting that one or a few ancient civilizations were responsible for all human advancements. These claims often disregarded the complex, independent developments of civilizations across the world.

Ancient Astronaut Theories:
The 20th century saw the rise of ancient astronaut theories, popularized by writers such as Erich von Däniken in his 1968 book “Chariots of the Gods?” These theories speculated that extraterrestrials were responsible for ancient monuments like the Pyramids of Giza or the Nazca Lines. These claims are widely discredited by historians and archaeologists, but they have a lasting presence in popular culture, thanks in part to television shows and media.
Critics argue that these theories are not only unsupported by evidence but often have racial undertones, as they imply that non-European civilizations were incapable of achieving architectural or technological feats on their own.

20th Century and Pseudohistory in Politics
Conspiracy Theories:
Pseudohistory often overlaps with conspiracy theories, particularly those involving secret societies or shadowy global elites manipulating history. One infamous example is the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, an antisemitic forgery first published in 1903 that falsely claimed Jewish leaders were plotting world domination. Despite being proven fraudulent, the document was used to promote antisemitism, including by the Nazi regime.

Cold War Pseudohistory:
During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in propaganda that sometimes ventured into pseudohistory. For example, Soviet historians would often emphasize or fabricate elements of Russian history to support the communist regime, while downplaying or erasing the contributions of minorities or political opponents.

Denialism and Revisionism:
Holocaust denial emerged in the latter half of the 20th century as a form of pseudohistory, where fringe groups and writers falsely claimed that the Nazi genocide of Jews and other minorities either did not happen or was greatly exaggerated. This is one of the most harmful examples of pseudohistory, and it continues to be condemned by legitimate historians and scholars.

Pseudohistory in the 21st Century
Internet and Popular Culture:
The rise of the Internet and social media has allowed pseudohistorical ideas to spread more rapidly and widely than ever before. Conspiracy theories like “9/11 Truth” or flat Earth theories often borrow historical elements and are presented as alternative histories, despite being debunked by credible research.
Popular media, such as television shows like “Ancient Aliens”, continue to promote pseudohistorical narratives, often blending real historical events with speculative or fantastical explanations.

Political Pseudohistory:
In recent years, pseudohistory has also been used in political rhetoric to reshape or distort historical narratives for nationalist or ideological purposes. Some governments and political movements use historical revisionism to bolster their legitimacy or downplay controversial aspects of their past. For example, Russian revisionism under Vladimir Putin has downplayed the crimes of Stalin and emphasized a more heroic narrative of Soviet history.

Cultural Identity and Pseudohistory:
Pseudohistory also plays a role in movements that seek to reclaim cultural identity, often by promoting mythologized or exaggerated versions of the past. For instance, in parts of neo-pagan or Afrocentric movements, pseudohistorical claims about ancient civilizations or alternative chronologies are sometimes used to offer empowering narratives but may lack historical accuracy.