704. Roman Civil War: Master of the Republic (Part 4)
Who was Gaius Marius’ son, and how did he set out to bring down his father’s rival, Sulla? Which two rising stars in Sulla’s faction, Crassus and Pompey,…
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PODCAST
The Rest Is History
Hosted by
Goalhanger
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.
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50 Episodes
Latest Episodes
703. Roman Civil War: Marching on the Senate (Part 3)
What shocking, unprecedented act did Sulla commit with his legions after having his ambitions frustrated once more by his bitter rival, the tribune Marius? How did Marius escape…
702. Roman Civil War: The Barbarian Invasion (Part 2)
What was the ancient city of Rome actually like in the first century BC? Who was Lucius Cornelius Sulla, another great, but aristocratic, Roman general who would clash…
701. Roman Civil War: Rise of the General (Part 1)
Who was Gaius Marius, one of the two men who would shape the fate of Rome in the first century BC? Why was his road to fame, fortune,…
700. The Troubles: Bloody Sunday (Part 4)
How did Bloody Sunday erupt on the 30th of January 1972? Why did it follow on the heels of terrible violence? And, what were the consequences of that…
699. The Troubles: Return of the IRA (Part 3)
What was the Provisional IRA, and why did they return to the fray at the high point of The Troubles in Northern Ireland? How did a series of…
698. The Troubles: The Brink of Civil War (Part 2)
Why did the violence of the Troubles escalate as it did in Ulster? How did a series of marches from Belfast to Derry in 1969 result in terrible…
697. The Troubles: Murder in Belfast (Part 1)
How did the Troubles break out in Northern Ireland in the 1960s, and how far back does the dispute really go? Why did the conflict intensify as it…
696. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: Killing the Queen of Scots (Part 6)
How did the Babington Plot, another Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Elizabeth I and replace her with the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots, unfold? Did the Spanish help her?…
695. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Shadow War (Part 5)
Who was the charismatic Sir Philip Sidney, a beloved but also suspect courtier to Elizabeth I? Why, in 1585, was England in such danger from a Spanish invasion?…
694. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Treacherous Conspiracy (Part 4)
After ransacking Spanish treasure ships, would Elizabeth I betray Sir Francis Drake to her enemies? Who did she back in the French civil wars? And, with the help…
693. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: England’s Greatest Hero (Part 3)
Why is Sir Francis Drake enshrined as one of England’s greatest heroes? Where did he come from, and how did he rise to prominence and earn the adoration…
692. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: A Massacre in Paris (Part 2)
What inspired the deadliest bloodbath of the Tudor age: the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, in which protestants were slaughtered en masse? How did it drive Elizabeth…
691. Elizabeth I vs The Catholics: The Queen’s Spymaster (Part 1)
How did Elizabeth I rule England? Why was she constantly in mortal peril in 1569? Who was Sir William Cecil, and why was he so crucial to her…
690. A Murderous Affair: Death at Mayerling (Part 2)
What really happened at the Habsburgian hunting lodge, Mayerling? Did Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, really commit a romantic murder suicide, or did the…
689. A Murderous Affair: The Habsburgs’ Greatest Scandal (Part 1)
What was Vienna like in the 1880s? Why was Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria seen as the outcast of the prestigious Habsburg dynasty? And, how would meeting 17…
688. The Odyssey: Return of the King (Part 2)
How did the second half of Odysseus’ long journey home to Ithaca play out? What does the epic’s account of the Olympian gods indicate about Ancient Greek religion?…
687. The Odyssey: Hero of the Trojan Horse (Part 1)
How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of…
686. Jefferson: The Betrayal of Liberty (Part 4)
What part did Thomas Jefferson play in writing the American Declaration of Independence? Where did he come from, and how did it shape his attitude to the future…
685. Hamilton: Duel to the Death (Part 3)
How did Alexander Hamilton go from impoverished orphan to one of the most important figures in the creation of the American constitution? Why was his relationship with Thomas…
684. Franklin: Revenge of the American Genius (Part 2)
Was Benjamin Franklin really an American? What was his childhood like? How was he finally converted to the American Revolutionary cause? And, what role did he play in…
683. Washington: Hero of the Revolution (Part 1)
Where did George Washington come from, and what was he like? How did he come to take on such a pivotal role in the American Revolution? And, was…
682. South Africa: Mandela and the Death of Apartheid (Part 6)
How did the rugby World Cup final of 1995 inspire South Africa’s totemic national anthem? Why does the story shed a light on the history of Apartheid in…
681. Brazil: The Emperor’s Anthem (Part 5)
What does the Brazilian national anthem reveal about its history of slavery and revolt? Why did the king of Portugal rule his country all the way from Rio…
680. The Netherlands: The Revolt that Made The Modern World (Part 4)
How is the Dutch national anthem, that has its origins during a 1568 siege of a French city, connected to the Dutch Revolt? What is the revolt’s role…
The Fascist World Cup: Mussolini's Football Dictatorship | History of the World Cup
How did Benito Mussolini’s regime in the 1930s use sport to spread his ideology and prepare Italy for war? What infrastructure and propaganda strategies did he use to…
679. Germany: The Song Hitler Stole (Part 3)
Why is the German national anthem the most controversial of all? Is it true that it is Austrian in origin? And, what happened when Germany split after the…
678. Britain: God Save the King (Part 2)
How did the Napoleonic Wars contribute to the enshrinement of the British national anthem? What are the Jacobite origins of this legendary melody? And, which British monarch was…
677. USA: The Star-Spangled Banner (Part 1)
How did the War of 1812 result in America’s national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner? Who came up with it? And, why does this origin story make the…
676. The First World War: Churchill’s Calamity (Part 6)
After Gallipoli has descended into a bloodbath, why do the British pour in more troops? Does Churchill finally understand his fateful error? How do the allies escape the…
675. The First World War: Slaughter at Gallipoli (Part 5)
Why was the Battle of Gallipoli, starting in February 1915, in Turkey, so disastrous for the Allies, and in particular, Winston Churchill? How has it become such a…
674. The First World War: The Spy Who Took on the Germans (Part 4)
Why did the British nurse, Edith Cavell, become a key player in the Belgian Resistance to German occupation? How did she carry out her mission? And, why was…
673. The First World War: The Submarine Strikes (Part 3)
Was the Lusitania merely an ocean liner like Titanic, or a formidable battle ship? How and why did a German U-boat fleet manage to bring down this titan…
672. The First World War: Italy’s Doomed Campaign (Part 2)
How did Italy enter the First World War alongside the Allies in 1915? What were they hoping to gain? And, why was their attempt to invade the Austro-Hungarian…
Empress Matilda: Civil War and the Fight for the Throne
How did Matilda, princess of England, become Empress of the Holy Roman Empire in 1110? What disbarred her from becoming queen of England after her father's death? And,…
671. The First World War: Blood in the Trenches (Part 1)
During the First World War, what was it like to live in the trenches on the Western Front in 1915? How did the Germans attempt to knock the…
670. Tom Holland Meets Paul McCartney
How was Paul McCartney influenced by life in postwar Liverpool? How did he and the Beatles first learn to make music? And were they influenced by literature as…
669. Greece vs. Persia: The Battle of Marathon (Part 2)
Why did the Battle of Marathon change the world so considerably? How did the battle itself unfold? And, could the Athenians really triumph over the indomitable Persian Empire…? …
668. Greece vs Persia: The Rise of the First Superpower (Part 1)
Why did the Persian Empire cross the Aegean to destroy Athens in 490BC? Who was Darius, the King of Kings, and the most powerful man in the world?…
667. The Mystery of the Mona Lisa
Is there a secret meaning behind the Mona Lisa’s famously ambiguous smile? What light does the painting shed upon Renaissance Italy, and Leonardo da Vinci himself? And, who…
666. Wine and the Birth of Civilisation
What does The Odyssey teach us about the history of wine in the ancient world? How did Julius Caesar use wine to conquer the world? And, why was…
665. Britain in the 70s: The Bailout from Hell (Part 4)
How did the new British Prime Minister, Jim Callaghan, intend to keep Britain from bankruptcy in 1976? What extreme new step might have seen riots in the streets?…
664. Britain in the 70s: Scandal in Downing Street (Part 3)
With Britain heading towards financial meltdown and paranoia in the air, could its exhausted Prime Minister, Harold Wilson survive? Why were bombs going off in London every few…
663. Britain in the 70s: The Brexit That Never Was (Part 2)
In the Spring of 1975, why was the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, so embattled? Why was the left so divided during this period? And, was Britain’s relationship with…
662. Britain in the 70s: The Rise of Thatcher (Part 1)
How did Margaret Thatcher rise to become leader of the Conservative Party in Britain? Why were British politics so tumultuous in the 1970s? And, who was Thatcher up…
661. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shōgun Triumphant (Part 4)
Who was the greatest female Samurai warrior of all time? What would unfold in the next phase of the terrible civil war between the Minamoto and the Taira…
660. Dawn of the Samurai: Japan’s Greatest Warrior (Part 3)
Who was Yoshitsune, one of the greatest generals in all Japanese history? What part did he play in the ferocious Samurai civil war between the Minamoto clan and…
659. Dawn of the Samurai: Bloodbath at the Bridge (Part 2)
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…
658. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shadow of the Sword (Part 1)
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…
657. The Ku Klux Klan: American Fascists (Part 4)
After resurrecting in 1915, how did the Ku Klux Klan make its move on the next major American election? What was the role of women in the Klan?…