Common errors about Antiquity

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Just thought of another one, Jona -- I don't think anyone has mentioned the old chestnut about how the UK (= English) railway gauge is based on the wheel spacing of Roman wagons.

I agree, just like the Roman's "normal" wheel spacing it was far more likely to be based upon the average width of two mule's asses.

While we are on the subject of wheels, how about a couple of my personal favorites.... Roman wheel barrows and wheels mounted directly on the bases of Roman artillery. There are a number meticulously built engines that have sadly been turned into "cart-a-pults" and "barrowlistas" by the addition of wheels and handles. Some fallacies are harder to kill than cockroaches, vampires, and kudzu combined.