On the Role of Myths and History in the Construction of National Identity in Modern Europe.

The article discusses how myths and history contributed to the creation of national identities in 19th and 20th century Europe. The influence of the re-examination or re-creation of national myths was considered powerful enough that historians who deviated from them, such as those who disputed the claim by 19th century Greeks to be the descendants of classical Greek culture, were strongly criticized. History intended to cite desirable national characteristics was created in response to major events such as the French Revolution, which spawned such historical re-examination of the past not only in France but in Great Britain. The author decries the prevalence of so-called "mythohistory," points to its part in calamities through European history, and praises historians who point to the need for truth over myth.