Top 10 Historical Secrets That Will Never Be Revealed
#10: Greek Fire
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Greek fire is often a catchall term many cultures have used to refer to incendiary weapons throughout history. However, the original article wasn’t Greek at all, but rather from the Byzantine Empire, a different Mediterranean power. The weapon consisted of a flammable substance projected through pressurized tubes and set alight, kind of like an ancient version of a flamethrower. Frequently used in naval warfare, Greek fire supposedly remained burning even on water, which made it especially deadly. However, its exact composition was heavily guarded information by the Byzantine Empire, and records, if there were any, have been lost to history. Probably for the best, honestly.
#9: Silphium
Ancient times had many secrets, and one of the most intriguing relates to a plant. Silphium, also called laser or laserwort (yes, really), was a plant highly valued by cultures of the Mediterranean. Considered to be worth its weight in gold, silphium was used for everything from cooking to perfume. Most strangely of all, it was both an aphrodisiac and a contraceptive! It may even have been the origin of the heart symbol! However, the plant silphium refers to has remained a mystery in modern times. It’s likely that the plant in question went extinct, either through over farming or possibly through climate change.
#8: Roman Concrete
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Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it was built to last. Many of its legendary structures are still standing because Roman concrete was so well made. But how it was made is still not completely understood today, as the process was lost during the Middle Ages. It’s generally believed that some of the secret ingredients may be volcanic ash and/or salt water. Attempts to replicate the process with the far more common coal fly ash have proven promising. Even so, it may take centuries to know if our own efforts can match the Romans’.
#7: The Copper Scroll Treasure
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One of the vaunted Dead Sea Scrolls, the Copper Scroll is not a religious text, as you might assume. Instead, it gives cryptic clues to over 60 different locations that may contain hidden caches of gold and silver, possibly the inventories of temples at the time the scroll was made. Unfortunately, the directions to these locations were made over 2,000 years ago – naturally, a lot has changed in the intervening millennia. While many attempts have been made to reconstruct the hiding places of the treasure, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever locate them all.
#6: The Princes in the Tower
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In the late 15th century, Edward V and his brother Richard were confined to the Tower of London by their uncle, the regent, later known as Richard III. The two of them were only 12 and 9, respectively. Before Edward could be crowned, both were declared illegitimate and their uncle ascended the throne. Both disappeared mysteriously sometime during 1483. Numerous theories abound as to their fate, with the most common assumption being that their uncle had them killed, and two small skeletons found in the Tower centuries later lend credence to this theory. However, some contemporaries of the time claim to have been one of the princes, and plenty of other theories abound.
#5: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
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The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are all some of the most legendary constructions built by human hands, at least in antiquity. However, one of them has never been confirmed to have definitively existed – the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. According to many accounts, these were a series of tiered gardens so verdant that they resembled an artificial green mountain in the middle of Babylon. However, no such ruin has been uncovered in Babylonian ruins. It may be that the Hanging Gardens never existed at all, or that they are simply too worn, damaged, or buried to be identified now. They’re a wonder that must remain a mystery.
#4: The Lost Colony of Roanoke
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In 1587, a colony was founded on the island of Roanoke off the coast of present-day North Carolina. It was intended to be the first permanent English colony in North America. The colony’s founder, John White, left to retrieve supplies from England. When he returned 3 years later, he found the colony abandoned, with the word “Croatoan” written on one of the walls that had been erected. This likely referred to an island of the same name. However, neither investigations then or since have been able to discover the true fate of the hundred plus inhabitants. Were they killed or captured by natives or Spanish sailors? Did they relocate? The answer, like the colony, remains lost.
#3: The Man in the Iron Mask
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Even if you’re not familiar with the historical figure, many fictional accounts have been made of the Man in the Iron Mask, a prisoner held in France during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Contrary to the prisoner’s title, the mask wasn’t actually made of metal, but rather cloth. Regardless, the identity of this mysterious prisoner has intrigued many. Theories about his identity range from being a brother of King Louis XIV, to a French general, to a scandal-prone man. Whoever the man behind the mask was, the truth would be hard to iron out.
#2: Genghis Khan’s Tomb
For being a man who caused so much death, the greatest mystery about Genghis Khan is his own – or rather, where his body lies. According to Marco Polo, the Great Khan instructed that soldiers kill the slaves who buried him, and then for those soldiers to be killed as well, ensuring the secrecy of his burial site. The prevailing theory is that Genghis was buried on or near Burkhan Khaldun, a mountain sacred to the Mongol people. Due to its religious significance, any excavation of the mountain would likely be objected to. And that’s if the mountain’s right at all!
#1: The Paternity of Caesarion
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Julius Caesar was the first dictator of Rome. While he was succeeded by his great nephew and adopted son, Octavian, Caesar also had a biological son with Cleopatra, named Caesarion. Well, maybe. Some contemporary accounts call into question whether Caesar actually fathered Caesarion. He had no other confirmed children. It was certainly a politically advantageous move for Cleopatra to claim her child was with Rome’s up and coming political power. Octavian is said to have had Caesarion killed to consolidate his own power. Both Caesar and Caesarion’s resting places remain unknown, so we can’t know without a DNA test. So, unless somebody wants to give Maury Povich a time machine, we can only go by the official story.
