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...
43. 1940
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It is arguably the most important year in modern history. With the British Expeditionary Force trapp...
42. The Wild West
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Podcasting’s answer to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - that’s Tom Holland and Dominic Sandb...
41. Persia
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It is one of the truly great civilisations in world history and yet the story of Persia has faded fr...
40. History as Entertainment
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From re-enactment to reinforcing capitalism through the board game Monopoly. Dominic Sandbrook and T...
39. Elizabeth I
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
She famously claimed to have the heart and stomach of a king and remains one of Britain’s most tal...
38. Communism
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It was one of the great political ideologies of the 20th century, vying with capitalism for supremac...
37. Spies, with Ben MacIntyre
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
History is littered with stories of espionage and its capacity to change the course of events. But d...
36. Our Greatest Prime Minister
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our last episode we debated the merits of British Prime Ministers through the centuries. But who ...
35. The Prime Ministers’ World Cup
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who is the greatest British Prime Minister of them all? The bookmakers have Winston Churchill favour...
34. St Cuthbert’s Day
20 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
March 20th marks the annual Feast day of the Northumbrian Saint Cuthbert. But why should we care abo...
33. The Beautiful Game
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It has been described as the most universal cultural mode there has ever been, but is football a wor...
32. What if?
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Counterfactuals are the great what ifs of history. Imagine the Nazis winning World War 2, or the Rom...
31. The Second Reich
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It emerged from the Prussian victory over France in 1870 and was destroyed by the First World War le...
30. A Royal Row
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With the British monarchy under intense scrutiny following an interview with Harry and Meghan conduc...
29. Americanisation
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Has America taken over the world? Did the dollar and Hollywood enable the US to replace the British ...
28. The Kings of Comedy
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Al Murray joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of comedy as well ...
27. Tutankhamun
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook ask why Tutankhamun remains the best known of the Egyptian pharaoh...
26. Witches
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Suzannah Lipscomb joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of witches and witc...
25. Empires
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is the age of empires over? And are they always a bad thing? Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explo...
24. Sex in the City
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Everything you wanted to know about sex in the 18th and 19th Century but were afraid to ask. Hallie ...
23. The 90s
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ecstasy, emails and economic stability. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland discuss the 1990s, a decad...
22. Weird Wars
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Rest is History brings you the top ten strangest conflicts of all time. Obscure, little-known, d...
21. The History of the Future
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is history’s take on the future? Oracles, prophecies, apocalypse, scientific projection. Tom ...
20. China
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Broadcaster and historian Michael Wood joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the world’...
19. King Arthur
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It remains the most romantic historical story of all time, but is the legend of King Arthur a myth? ...
18. The North South Divide
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
England has long been divided by an invisible line somewhere north of Watford and south of the Merse...
17. Fascism
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is fascism and where did it come from? No one admits to being a fascist yet it continues to be...
16. Pompeii
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pompeii Why does Pompeii continue to hold such a fascination for so many people? And which secrets ...
15. Walls and Borders
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall, history is littered with the building of barriers a...
14. Historical Fiction
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is the author’s responsibility to the quality of the novel or the truth of history? What makes a g...
13. Stephen Fry and Troy
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Fry is our guest on The Rest is History as he tells Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook about ...
12. Conspiracy Theories
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
History is littered with conspiracy theories, from Popish plots to JFK’s assassination. But what m...
11. Brexit
28 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As Britain leaves the EU, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook look at the best & worst comparisons fro...
10. Christmas
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Is Christmas an ancient ritual or was it invented by Dickens? Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland disc...
9. Causes of the First World War
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Whose fault was it? Does the question even make sense? Are wars always somebody's "fault"? Was it re...
8. The Echo of a Coffee House
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Social media has colonised the world but is it really a new phenomenon? Tom Holland and Dominic Sand...
7. The Lessons of History
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Can we truly learn from history? And if we can - do we? It’s one of the big questions this week as...
6. Troy
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been described as the most legendary story ever told. But did the Trojan War actually happen?...
5. 1981
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As a new series of The Crown arrives on Netflix, returning viewers to the 1980s, we look back at the...
4. We’re all so 17th Century
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Plague, pestilence and statue smashing are back in business. Has 2020 turned out to be the 17th Cent...
3. Is Trump Caesar or Nixon?
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded hours after Joe Biden was named President of the United States, we ask if Donald Trump is a...
2. Civil War
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What are the conditions needed for a civil war to start? Could we see a modern industrial nation tur...
1. Greatness
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How did certain people come to be called ‘the Great’? Is the notion of great men and women outmo...
Trailer
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are interrogating the past, attempting to de-tangle...