10 unbelievable history facts too strange to make up

Ever experienced one of those moments when you come across an obscure fact and think, “Nah, that can’t be true”? Picture yourself sitting in school, doodling, when the teacher lets you in on the fact that a swarm of bunnies attacked Napoleon, or that a war was fought over a bucket. You’d chuckle it away — but it happened.

History lessons always revolve around the great wars and revolutions, but what about all the strange facts that are left out of textbooks? The past is full of unexplained incidents and oddball personalities that show just how odd the history of man can be. This article sheds light on some of the most astounding facts that show reality is stranger than fiction.

An emperor declared war on the sea

Roman Emperor Caligula was renowned for his tyrannical and eccentric personality. Among his best-documented actions was the declaration of war against Neptune, the Roman sea god. Ancient authors like Suetonius wrote that Caligula took his troops along the northern coast of Gaul and told them to ride into the sea with their swords.

After this “battle,” he ordered his soldiers to collect seashells as “spoils of war” to be marched through Rome. While some historians in his own time suggest the story is an exaggeration used to mock him, it is one of the odder leadership stories in history. This odd incident highlights the utter power and wild fantasies of some Roman emperors.

There was a great emu war in Australia

In 1932, the Australian army was deployed to combat an unlikely enemy, the emus. In World War I, thousands of soldiers were resettled in Western Australia to farm the land, but their crops were being destroyed by a purported 20,000 emus migrating inland. The farmers, many of whom were ex-war veterans, requested the military’s assistance to deter the birds.

Brigadier G.P.W. Meredith led troops armed with machine guns in what was quaintly known as the “Great Emu War.” But the emus were unexpectedly resistant to shooting, often running off in small groups and scattering at high speed.

Despite many weeks and thousands of cartridges of ammunition, the military had managed to kill 50 to 200 emus, and the campaign was widely regarded as a failure, with the emus declared to have won

Tomatoes were once sold as medicine

In the 1830s, tomato was a medicine for various ailments. American doctor Dr. John Cooke Bennett began selling tomato ketchup in pill form, claiming it could cure indigestion, diarrhea, and rheumatism.

He made out recipes and sold the therapeutic properties of tomatoes, which were not as widely consumed at the time. His “tomato pills” were a runaway hit, and soon other entrepreneurs were peddling their own, initiating a “ketchup war.”

Others were more flimflam than ketchup, with laxative-filled products containing no tomatoes at all. The craze eventually died when the medicinal properties were debunked, and ketchup found its way into the kitchen instead of the medicine cabinet.

A woman survived the sinking of two major ships

Violet Jessop, who was a stewardess and nurse aboard an ocean liner, had the sobriquet of “Miss Unsinkable” for the most astonishing reason. She had lived through the sinking of two of the most famous ships in the world. In 1911, she was a passenger on the RMS Olympic when it struck another vessel, but she was unhurt.

In 1912, Jessop was a stewardess on the RMS Titanic when it struck an iceberg and sank. She was instructed to get into a lifeboat and lived through the disaster. Then, during World War I, she was a nurse on the HMHS Britannic, which struck a mine and sank in 1916. Once again, she managed to escape and live, thus becoming history’s luckiest individual.

Ancient Romans used urine as a detergent

Urine was a convenient commodity during ancient Roman times, and its uses were surprisingly diverse. One of the most sought-after uses of urine was as a laundry detergent because urine contains ammonia.

Urine was for sale. It was gathered in public vessels, and its sale was so profitable that Emperor Vespasian even imposed a tax on it. When his son Titus protested, Vespasian is famously reported to have held up a coin and said, “Pecunia non olet,” or “money doesn’t smell.”

The briefest war in history lasted 38 minutes

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, fought on August 27, 1896, is the shortest war in history. The war broke out after the pro-British Sultan of Zanzibar died and was succeeded by his cousin Khalid bin Barghash without Britain’s approval. The British Empire issued an ultimatum to him to resign, but he refused and barricaded himself in the palace.

At 9:02 AM, the British Royal Navy began a bombardment of the palace. At 9:40 AM, the palace was destroyed, the Sultan’s flag lay on the ground, and Khalid had left it. The war lasted only 40 minutes and resulted in a total British victory, indicating the raw power of the Royal Navy at that time.

There was an art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Between 1912 and 1948, the Olympic Games featured art competitions with medals presented for painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, and music in sports. These art contests were part of the original vision of the founder of the contemporary Olympics, Pierre de Coubertin, who was dreaming of unifying sport and culture.

The competitions were, nonetheless, discontinued because of the scandals surrounding the amateur status of the artists. This hidden chapter of Olympic history uncovers an alternative vision for the games that brings athletic and artistic ability together.

A Honduran Town Experiences a “Rain of Fish”

Over a century, the Honduran town of Yoro has experienced an unusual weather condition known as “lluvia de peces,” or “rain of fish.” At least annually, an enormous storm rolls in, and after passing through, the ground is covered in hundreds of live fish.

Scientists who have witnessed the phenomenon believe Atlantic Ocean waterspouts might be picking the fish out of the sea and dumping them over the town. Locals believe in a more divine explanation for the phenomenon, which they attribute to a Spanish missionary’s prayer in the 1860s. Whatever the explanation, the town celebrates the annual Festival de la Lluvia de Peces on the occasion.

A Polish soldier adopted a bear during WWII

Wojtek was a Syrian brown bear cub adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in World War II. Wojtek had his own rank and serial number as an enlisted man in the Polish II Corps. The bear accompanied the soldiers, drank beer, smoked cigarettes (which he swallowed) and wrestled with them.

He even helped carry boxes full of heavy ammunition during the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy, and out emerged a hero symbol for the company. After the war, Wojtek was moved to the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, where he spent the rest of his life, often visited by his former comrades. His tale is a poignant account of camaraderie in times of war.

key takeaways

History is not just about great battles and political turnabouts; it is also a series of strange and fascinating human stories. They range from a bird warrior to a bear used as a soldier, revealing the strange side of our history.

They show that life can be even more inventive and surprising than anything we can say. These stories remind us that history is a rich and complex tapestry, intricately embroidered with threads of the unconventional. Exploration of these peculiar events offers a richer, more colourful appreciation of the human experience.

Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.

25 Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise

25 Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise

I’m here to let you know that losing weight without becoming a fitness enthusiast is definitely achievable. You won’t need to sweat excessively, just a little bit (after all, we all have to walk to the fridge, don’t we?). Here are 25 ways to lose weight without exercising.

The 5 Best Carnival Cruise Ships 2025 Ranked for Your Perfect Vacation Experience

The 5 Best Carnival Cruise Ships 2025 Ranked for Your Perfect Vacation Experience