Fame denied

Herostratus was a young man who set fire to the Temple of Artemis - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - in what is now western Turkey on July 21, 356 BC.

Herostratus claimed credit in order to immortalise his name. In order to discourage other fame-whores, the authorities executed him, and forbade mention of his name under the penalty of death. However, the ancient historian Theopompus who didn't let no control freaks tell him what to do, recorded the event.

In line with the German penchant for having cool words with no English equivalents, "herostrat" is their word for a criminal motivated by fame.