Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
12 Days: Nero's succession and the fall of the Byzantine Empire
01 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a distinctly Roman start to 2022, Tom sets the scene for Rome's "Year of the four Emperors", whil...
12 Days: Jean-Bédel Bokassa and the memory of pandemics
31 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's New Year's Eve - switch off the Hootenanny and tune in to hear Dominic recount extraordinary ta...
12 Days: The Battle of Wakefield and Emperor Karl I
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom dissects the Battle of Wakefield and the subsequent fall of Richard, Duke of York, while Dominic...
12 Days: The Murder of Thomas Becket and the Wounded Knee Massacre
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom takes us through the murder of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, while Dominic look...
12 Days: Massacre of the Innocents and the Tay Bridge disaster
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a suitably festive edition, Tom recounts the biblical story of King Herod's massacre of babies in...
12 Days: Port wine and Darwin sets sail
27 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How the English's fondness for Portuguese fortified wine began, and the unlikely story of the voyage...
12 Days: Good King Wenceslas and the first Gilbert & Sullivan
26 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Was Wenceslas good? Was he a king? And Dominic remembers the popular Victorian light opera maestros ...
12 Days: Coronation of Charlemagne and the collapse of the Soviet Union
25 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To kick off our 12 Days of Christmas mini-series, Tom and Dominic remember the birth of the Holy Rom...
133. Christmas churches
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fan favourite Rachel Morley from Friends of Friendless Churches is back to count down her top ten ...
132. A Christmas Carol
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join Tom and Dominic in this festive special as they retrace the steps of Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and ...
The 1960s (preview)
18 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In Tom and Dominic's inaugural livestream for the Rest is History Club, we dive into one of the most...
131. Burgundy: Europe's forgotten superpower
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Now mostly overlooked by history, Burgundy was a major political and cultural power in western Europ...
130. Superheroes
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From their origins in the 1930's running parallel to the rise of fascism in Europe, to the Adam West...
129. Cricket
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did a game played by peasants in the English countryside as early as the 17th century evolve int...
History's greatest clubs (preview)
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A chance to peek behind the curtain into the new weekly bonus episode for subscribers to the Rest Is...
128. Rasputin
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The peasant who became one of the most influential figures in the final days of the Russian Empire i...
127. Neanderthals
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Where did Neanderthals come from? How are they related to homo sapiens? And why are they no longer w...
126. Napoleon in Egypt
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“God is too late, you have begun, now I will finish it.” Swash-buckling hero or sacrilegious tyr...
125. The CIA
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The USA's Central Intelligence Agency is a mysterious organisation which has used covert methods to ...
124. World Cup of Kings and Queens part 2
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth II. Henry V. William the Conqueror. All pretenders, according to our twitter poll to find ...
123. World Cup of Kings and Queens part 1
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Oliver Cromwell. Queen Victoria. George V. All contenders for the title of England's greatest monarc...
122. Æthelstan: OFFICIALLY England's greatest monarch
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After an intense tournament featuring sixteen of the finest Kings and Queens this island has to offe...
121. Australia Before Cook
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Discovered this territory, 1770". So reads the inscription on a statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park...
120. The Oil Weapon
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
1973: Major oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia quadruple the price of oil overnight, sending ...
119. World Cup of Kings & Queens preview
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who's England's greatest monarch? Voting starts on Saturday 13th November, go to @TheRestHistory on ...
118. End of the First World War & Remembrance
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the anniversary of the day the guns fell silent on the Western Front, we look at the last moments...
117. Alexander the Great part 2
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of our Alexander the Great special, we head to the limits of the known world, bur...
116. Alexander the Great Part 1
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Alexander the Great is the most charismatic conqueror in history. Tom and Dominic, in the first of a...
115. The Gunpowder Plot
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
‘Remember, remember / the Fifth of November / Gunpowder, treason & plot.” But what is it exactly...
114. Stonehenge, ancient ritual and the origins of paganism
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Like Merlin, who lived his life in reverse, we go backwards in time as we continue our two-part seri...
113. Hallowe'en and modern paganism
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a two part Hallowe’en special, Tom and Dominic are joined by Professor Ronald Hutt...
112. Medieval Science
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The word ‘medieval’ is often used to mean backward, benighted, unscientific. But is this fair? H...
111. Golden Ages
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Oh, to be Dutch in the seventeenth century. Or Roman in 150 AD. Or British in the 1990's. Tom and Do...
110. History of India in 10 Buildings
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Curator and art historian Aparna Andhare gives Tom and Dominic her selection of the ten buildings th...
109. Dinosaurs
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did the existence of dinosaurs come to be discovered, & what role have they played in the popula...
108. The Industrial Revolution
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did the industrial revolution really improve people’s lives? And why was Britain first to industri...
107. Watergate: Part 2
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Despite his overwhelming lead in the polls, President Richard Nixon’s paranoia leads to the crimin...
106. Watergate: Part 1
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What led Richard Nixon into the greatest political scandal in American history? Dominic Sandbrook, a...
105. Classics
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The world’s most famous classicist, Professor Mary Beard, joins Tom and Dominic to discuss how the...
Bonus Episode: No Time to Die
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
WARNING: THIS PODCAST INCLUDES SPOILERS ABOUT THE NEW JAMES BOND MOVIE. DO NOT LISTEN UNTIL YOU’VE...
104. Macbeth
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Something wicked this way comes. Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook take a deep dive into the real hi...
103. The Norse Sagas
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr Eleanor Barraclough as they sail across the A...
102. Germany from Adenauer to Angela
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Angela Merkel bows out of German politics, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore the surprisi...
101. James Bond
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The fictional British agent James Bond returns to our cinema screens this week, but what do the hist...
100. Decolonising Africa
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and critic Tomiwa Owolade joins Dominic and Tom to discuss the pan-African movement and the v...
99. Thermopylae & Salamis Episode 2
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persi...
98. Thermopylae & Salamis Episode 1
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 480 BC, 300 Spartans made a famous stand at Thermopylae, as hordes of Persian soldiers, led by Xe...
97. Top Ten Mistresses
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland is joined by Ali Ansari to discuss the most influential mistresses in history. The defin...
96. The UK’s Best Churches
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are estimated to be around 16 thousand churches in England alone. But which are the finest in...
95. 9/11
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners were hijacked above the US...
94. Silicon Valley Part 2
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The rise of social media is the central subject of our second instalment with tech pioneer Marc Andr...
93. Silicon Valley Part 1
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland are joined by tech pioneer Marc Andreessen. Has the internet been ...
92. Nuclear Weapons
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The year is 1983, and on November the 8th the world is the closest it’s ever been to nuclear destr...
91. The Beatles
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are live at the Chalke Valley History Festival to discuss the cult...
90. The Western Front
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The slaughter and bloodshed on the Western Front in World War One helped shape the narrative of the ...
89. Climate & Weather
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From the Ice Age to the Winter of Discontent, climate and weather have hugely impacted historical ev...
88. The First Anglo-Afghan War
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“A war begun for no wise purpose.” This description of the First Anglo-Afghan War, fought in the...
87. Afghanistan - Part 1
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a two-part series exploring the history of Afghanistan, Tom Holland and Dominic Sand...
86. The Enlightenment
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Once there was darkness and then there was light. What was the Enlightenment and why did it matter? ...
85. Sherlock Holmes
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The games afoot! Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the world’s favourite consulting detect...
84. Exams
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Even the memory of them is enough to make most people shudder. As thousands of British students wait...
83. The Berlin Wall
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
60 years ago this month, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) began building a barrier that...
82. Sparta
02 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to be a Spartan? How much of this Spartan image is real and how much is based on p...
81. Modern Olympics - Part 2
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Dominic continue their journey through the history of the Olympics, turning their attention ...
80. Modern Olympics - Part 1
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 1896 the Olympic Games were reborn in Athens. Here we look at the forgotten tales and little know...
79. Ancient Olympics
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the Games underway in Tokyo, Tom and Dominic look back to the Ancient Olympics. They discuss t...
78. Statues: Parliament Square
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Statues: Parliament Square In the final part of their epic trilogy, Tom and Dominic arrive at Parli...
77. Statues: Whitehall
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Dominic continue their tour of London’s statues, arriving in Whitehall. War leaders, usele...
76. Statues: Trafalgar Square
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a three part series Tom and Dominic take a walking tour of central London to examine...
75. The East India Company
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Dominic are joined by historian William Dalrymple to tell the fascinating and shocking story...
74. The Six Wives of Henry VIII
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Henry VIII had the most notorious marital relations of any king in history. Tom and Dominic discuss ...
73. England v Italy
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No country has enjoyed a greater influence on the English than Italy. Ahead of the European Champion...
72. The Vietnam War
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No war has divided public opinion more than the conflict in Vietnam. Andrew Preston, Cambridge Unive...
71. England v Denmark
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the two countries’ encounter at Wembley, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss Anglo-...
70. Children’s History
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Dominic discuss how to write history books for kids. What topics are they interested in? W...
69. England v Ukraine
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On the eve of a huge sporting encounter in Rome between the English and Ukrainian football teams, To...
68. The British Empire
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The British Empire: good, bad or neither? And how does its legacy shape us today? Journalist Sathnam...
67. Anglo-German Relations
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With England and Germany set to do sporting battle once again, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook exp...
66. Ghosts
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Settle down by the fire and prepare to be haunted. Roger Clarke, author of A Natural History of Ghos...
65. A Very British Scandal
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremy Thorpe was the most flamboyant politician of his day. Leader of the Liberal Party for nine ye...
64. Hitler, with Ian Kershaw - part 2
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of our examination of Adolf Hitler, Sir Ian Kershaw joins Dominic Sandbrook to di...
63. Hitler, with Ian Kershaw - part 1
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He was “the embodiment of modern political evil” according to historian Sir Ian Kershaw. In this...
62. Magna Carta
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Does the Magna Carta enshrine the liberties of every free-born Englishman? Or is it now irrelevant? ...
61. California
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No state in America captures the imagination quite like California. With its glitz and glamour and a...
60. Muhammad
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Muhammad, where did he come from and what was the historical context for his life? Tom Holla...
59. The World Cup of Gods - Part 2
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Competition for top deity hots up as we look back on the knock out stages of the Rest is History Wor...
58. The World Cup of Gods - Part 1
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the most anticipated contests of the year, sixteen gods battled for the crown of ultimate ...
57. Paris
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It may just be the most popular city on earth. Throughout history Paris has maintained a grip on the...
56. Nero
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He remains one of the great characters in all history. But was he depraved, corrupt and evil? Or an ...
55. The World Cup of Gods - Preview
22 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It promises to be the biggest event of the summer - The Rest is History World Cup of Gods. Sixteen ...
54. Cromwell and the Protectorate
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did Oliver Cromwell save Britain from tyranny or was he a killjoy and military dictator? Paul Lay, a...
53. Game of Thrones
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What, if anything, can we learn about medieval history from Game of Thrones? Or is George R R Martin...
51. Aztecs
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook talk to award-winning writer Camilla Townsend, author of the revel...
50. Teenagers
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“They’re wasting their money and having sex with each other.” Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Hollan...
49. Food Glorious Food
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook tuck into the history of British food with author Pen Vogler. They...
48. The French Revolution
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With France facing economic struggles and rising unemployment revolution was in the air. But who was...
47. The Seven Years' War
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by historian and broadcaster Dan Snow to discuss the bi...
46. Culture Wars
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The battle lines are drawn as Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook get involved in this most timely of ...
45. Top Ten Eunuchs
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook cross their legs and rank the best Eunuchs in history. From religi...
44. 1066
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It is perhaps the best known year in English history. But why has it endured in the national conscio...