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History is usually written about kings, queens, and generals, but some of the most interesting people to ever live were those who didn’t quite fit into the normal mold. From professional hermits to people who survived the impossible, here are five strange figures from the past.

• The Ornamental Hermits of the 18th Century: In the 1700s, it was a fashion trend for wealthy English landowners to have a living hermit on their estate. These men were paid to live in a small shack or cave, grow their hair long, and never speak to anyone. They were essentially living garden decorations meant to give the property a sense of wisdom and melancholy.
• The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs: Tsutomu Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip when the first atomic bomb was dropped. Despite being injured, he managed to make it back to his hometown of Nagasaki just in time for the second bomb. He survived that one too and lived to be 93 years old.
• The Mad Jack Churchill: This British officer fought in World War II with a longbow, arrows, and a claymore broadsword. He is the only British soldier known to have killed an enemy with a longbow during the war. He famously said that any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.
• Mary Toft and the Rabbit Hoax: In 1726, an English woman named Mary Toft convinced several prominent doctors that she was giving birth to rabbits. The story became a national sensation and even reached the King. Eventually, it was discovered to be a complete fraud, but not before she had embarrassed the most famous medical minds of her time.
• Tarrare – The Man Who Could Eat Anything: In 18th-century France, a man named Tarrare had an appetite that defied science. He could eat enough food for fifteen people in one sitting and was known to eat live animals, stones, and even corks. Despite his massive intake, he remained thin and was constantly hungry.