I learned that in the Dark Ages, it was not necessary to touch an opponent with your weapon to kill them. Swinging it near them was often just as effective.
I learned that the Roman Empire fell because stabbing with a sword, such as a gladius, did not penetrate armor, but instead glanced off. Only the slashing attacks favored by the "barbarians" were effective. How Gibbon missed this in The Decline and Fall I cannot imagine.
I learned that all male horse archers were homosexual, and that such terms were also applied to women should they mount a horse with bow in hand.
When approached by cavalry, a medieval swordman would spring three feet into the air and slash horizontally, killing the rider but leaving the horse unscathed.
In olden times, it was standard practice for infantry and cavalry alike to wander across the archers' line of fire, calling the wrath of god upon their bowmen should they take hurt.
Early in the dark ages, a method was found to place ladders atop other ladders with perfect stability. In this way, great sequences of ladders were constructed on many battlefields. Santa's Elves would often do this, and then leap from atop the wooden trail, hurtling down from above like bats out of hell to bring joy and good cheer to all.
I am grateful to C-rpg for teaching these things that no surviving manuscript records, but which one can easily see must have been fact.
- Jallah
