Renowned historians of that time only wanted to get fat checks (purses? Sacks?). To give an example, during the time of Annibal's invasion of Rome, the Senate was awfully against Quintus Flavius Maximus (as is known by the numerous jokes and flag he had to stand that have survived to our days). In the retelling of the Second Punic War, though, historians do little less than painting him as a hero and almost a demigod, loved by the people, as his tactics saved the Roman Empire, ignoring the fact almost noone really supported him, and making sure to tell that all the losses and bad decisions were not his responsibility.
So yeah, historians do bend history to meet someone's demands. In that case, the new Senators, after the supporters of other generals scurried away.