yes, the ancient 'photographers' can often make mistakes based on their own current knowledge and lack of knowledge of history and we must be vigilant in not making any assumptions based on graphic images of the past which may have been distorted by time and dramatic license of the creator of the image.
i am currently reading an arthurian novel set around the end of the 4th century a.d. as the romans are starting to abandon britain. somehow a primus pilus who is also a bladesmith, and has a collection of arms from around the empire, has never heard of a spatha for cavalry use and of ring maile armour, and saddles. he's just 'discovered' a barbarian 'frankish' saddle with strange dangly bits for putting the feet in, which he has assumed are for assisting a cripple to mount horse, and i suspect he will eventually discover they can be useful for a heavily armoured cataphract to mount his horse as well as allowing better deployment of his weapons. the facts of course must not interfere with the story. he's about to make a longer sword than a gladius for the first time, out of the unknown metal 'steel' he found in a sky-stone. i will make an educated guess he will call it excalibur. his use of an african compound bow, as well as welsh archers with 200lb. pull yew longbows i can almost accept tho.
p.s. - the ancient sd card from 53 b.c. survived only because it was packed in silicone grease, surrounded by dessicant, and sealed in a stainless steel container hidden in a roman catacomb where it remained dry and undiscovered until found by an early 20th c. explorer. i guess not many people used such a procedure.
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