The Rest Is History

The Rest Is History

Take a deep dive into History’s biggest moments with Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook. Explore the stories of History’s most brutal rulers, deadly battles, and world-changing events. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the Nazi conquest of Europe, and Hitler’s evil master plan for world domination, to the French Revolution, the sinking of the Titanic, or the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Tom and Dominic bring the past to life with gripping storytelling and expert analysis, as they unpack the high-drama moments that shaped our world. Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

Episodes

616. Elizabeth I: The Fall of the Axe (Part 1)

November 9, 2025 • 67 mins
How did Elizabeth I’s tumultuous early life in the court of her wife murdering father, Henry VIII, influence the rest of her life? What was the nature of the Tudor world she was born into? Why did Henry VIII so desperately desire a son? And, why did Henry and Anne’s marriage following his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, change the fate of Britain forever? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the story behind the birth of Brita...
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RIHC: Disney's Legacy, with Bob Iger

November 6, 2025 • 33 mins
What’s the first question people at Disney ask themselves when they have a great idea? How does Bob Iger view his legacy, and does he think Walt Disney would approve of his record? How did Bob first get into The Rest Is History? And who is his dream dinner party guest from history? Watch Tom and Dominic's tour of Disneyland with Bob: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwPaOpifZ-M In this special bonus episode, Tom and Dominic a...
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615. Disneyland: The Modern American Utopia

November 5, 2025 • 82 mins
Why is Disneyland one of the most influential architectural creations of the 21st century? How did the Second World War impact Disney? And, how is Disneyland inextricably intertwined with the history of America? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the magical world of Disneyland, along with the fascinating history of Theme Parks, and the insight they provide into the historical contexts they were born of.  ____ Start generating...
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614. Walt Disney: The Great American Storyteller

November 2, 2025 • 69 mins
How did Walt Disney come to found the company that still bears his name, and would change the world forever? How did Disney help to establish American culture as the most dominant culture in the world? And, was Mickey Mouse Walt Disney’s greatest invention?  Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the story behind the wonderful world of Disney, and the man from whose marvellous imagination it sprung.  ______ Start generating your o...
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Spartacus and Gladiators, with Mary Beard

October 30, 2025 • 10 mins
Where did gladiatorial combat originate? Who was Spartacus, the legendary gladiator? How did he come to lead the most famous slave revolt in all Roman history? How did the rebellion unfold? And, what was Spartacus’ fate..? In the grand finale of our thrilling series on four of classical antiquity’s most notorious subjects, Tom is joined by the world renowned classicist Mary Beard, to discuss gladiators and the famous gladiator t...
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613. Nelson: Glory at Trafalgar (Part 6)

October 29, 2025 • 70 mins
How did the British fleet prepare for war, on the morning of the Battle of Trafalgar? With the flags of both fleets flying and both Nelson and the French admiral Villeneuve glittering in their uniforms, how did the two fleets finally collide? Amidst the rivers of blood, the blast of canons, the flying splinters, and the swirling smoke, how did Nelson’s ships and sailors fare? And, cornered by three enemy ships, what would be the fa...
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612. Nelson: The Final Showdown (Part 5)

October 26, 2025 • 62 mins
After two years at sea chasing the combined fleet of France and Spain, what was Nelson’s next step? Upon returning to his beloved Emma, how was the heroic Nelson received? What was the terrifying Napoleon Bonaparte scheming for his fleet across the seas? And, would Britain finally face an imminent French invasion, and with it apocalypse - for both Britain and Nelson himself? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the build up to o...
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Julius Caesar, with Mary Beard

October 23, 2025 • 11 mins
What is the main difference between Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great? When did Julius Caesar become one of the major players of the Roman Republic? What was the true nature of Caesar’s relationship with Cleopatra? How did he manage to defeat his enemies to become Dictator of Rome for life? And, how did he finally meet his violent, blood-spattered end?  In the third episode of this exclusive new series on ancient history, To...
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611. Nelson: Bonaparte Prepares to Strike (Part 4)

October 22, 2025 • 68 mins
With Britain at war for more than eight long years, and her people depleted and hungry, how did her government react to the news that Napoleon Bonaparte was planning a full-scale invasion in 1801? What happened when Nelson tried to attack the French at Boulogne, and what was the terrible cost? Why was the provisional peace treaty signed between the British and the French at the end of September, doomed to fail? Meanwhile, how was N...
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610. Nelson: The Battle of Copenhagen (Part 3)

October 19, 2025 • 66 mins
With fears that the powerful Danish fleet would join with the French against the British, what great gamble did Horatio Nelson take? After taking the drastic decision to attack the Danish fleet in their own harbour, what challenges did Nelson and his men face? How did the bloody Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 then unfold? And, what would be the consequences of this epic naval clash for Britain, Napoleon’s France, and Nelson himself? ...
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Alexander the Great, with Mary Beard

October 16, 2025 • 10 mins
No one was like him, terrible were his crimes… Where was Alexander the Great born, and who were his parents? What drove him to go beyond the Aegean empire he had already carved out for himself, and conquer lands beyond the limits of the Greek world? Why did Alexander eventually turn back, after ten years of conquest? And, how much of his legend is actually true?  In the second episode of this exclusive new series on four of th...
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609. Nelson: The Gathering Storm (Part 2)

October 15, 2025 • 61 mins
After two years at sea, what happened when Horatio Nelson - now Britain’s most celebrated naval commander - finally returned home, to his wife and father? Following his involvement in the poisonous politics of Naples, his terrible treatment of the Jacobite rebels, and starting an affair with the notorious Lady Emma Hamilton, how was Nelson received? And, with the storm clouds of war gathering above the Baltic, in what heroic way wo...
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608. Nelson: Slaughter in Naples (Part 1)

October 12, 2025 • 81 mins
What happened when the heroic Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, sailed into the seething city of Naples? Why would his meeting with the glamorous celebrity, Lady Emma Hamilton, shape the rest of his life? And, why would his decision to lend his support to the foolhardy Neapolitan campaign to “liberate all of Italy” from the formidable French, prove to be one of the most controversial episodes of Nelson’s career? Jo...
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The Trojan War, with Mary Beard

October 9, 2025 • 10 mins
Did the Trojan War - the ten year, cosmic clash between the Greeks and the Trojans, featuring the Olympian gods, kings and heroes - actually happen? Is there any evidence for the existence of the Trojan Horse? And, why is it the war the foundational myth of both ancient Greece and ancient Rome? To launch a brand new bonus series, Tom is joined by the world famous classicist, Mary Beard, to discuss four of classical antiquity’s m...
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607. Nelson’s Lover: The Scandalous Lady Hamilton

October 8, 2025 • 73 mins
Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to become a model, actress, dancer, and even an international celebrity? And, why was theirs one of the most famous love affairs of all time? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of history's most remarkable woman - Lady Emma Hamilton - and explore her celebrated relationship with ...
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606. Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood

October 5, 2025 • 76 mins
Who was Enoch Powell, the deeply controversial British conservative politician? Why is he the father of Brexit, and possibly even Reform? And, how did he come to make his inflammatory ‘Rivers of Blood speech’, in 1968?    Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Enoch Powell - one of the most incendiary and contentious figures in all of British political history - and his enduring shadow today. Start generating your own greener ele...
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605. Greek Myths: Jason & The Quest for the Golden Fleece (Part 4)

October 1, 2025 • 63 mins
What terrifying trials did Jason and the Argonauts have to overcome to win the famous Golden Fleece from a fire-breathing dragon, in one of the greatest greek myths of all time? When and where does this thrilling story come from? How does it tie together the tales of Odysseus, Orpheus, Achilles and Circe? Is there any historical evidence for the story of Jason and the Argonauts? What are the origins of Medea, the beautiful but vind...
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604. Greek Myths: Sex, Drugs & Tragedy (Part 3)

September 28, 2025 • 64 mins
Who was Dionysus, the son of Zeus, and Greek god of ecstasy, revelry and madness? Why was he so central to the ancient Greeks? What is the story of the Bacchae, the play in which a young man is ripped apart by the handmaidens of the goddess Artemis? What did it mean to be a Bacchae, one of the followers of Dionysus, and what shocking acts did it entail? Why were female cults like this believed to be integral to the survival of Athe...
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603. Greek Myths: The Riddle of the Sphinx (Part 2)

September 24, 2025 • 65 mins
What is the story behind the writing of Oedipus, the notorious king of Thebes who murdered his father and unwittingly married his mother? Was it based on a real historical event? What are Oedipus’ cursed mythic origins in Thebes? Who was Sophocles, the legendary Greek playwright? Why was the play a product of 5th century Athens; its rivalries with other greek city states such as Thebes, a raging plague, and the tyrant Pericles? Wha...
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602. Greek Myths: Zeus, King of the Gods (Part 1)

September 21, 2025 • 61 mins
What are the mythic origins of Zeus, King of the Olympians, and the other Greek gods? From what period did the earliest of the Greek myths derive? Who was Hesiod - alongside Homer, the greatest of the Greek poets, and the father of European literature - who first recorded Zeus’ story? When was the golden age of Greek myth? Who were the Titans, and why were they consigned to the fiery pit of Tartarus? Did different regions of Greece...
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