Entirely Unofficial Rest is History Catalogue and Interrogator
Great Library of Chatham High Street
An in-depth catalogue and library of every episode in the archives of the Rest is History podcast. Every historical event and figure mentioned can be found here. Every book, author and guest can be discovered with links to the episodes they have appeared in. AI powered Q&A lets you find that elusive moment you remember, but can't quite place the episode - letting you jump straight to the point where Dom cracks up about Chatham wrestlers, or to discover the truth about the ancient British sport of Dwyle Flonking. Based on complete transcripts of the entire archive.
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Myths, legends and origin stories.
Mythic & Legendary
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RIHC: Iconic Episodes, Unforgettable Heroes, and History’s Greatest Apples
This special episode, recorded in Sydney to mark the podcast being named Apple’s 2025 Show of the Year, features hosts Tom Holland and Domi…
EpisodeThe Trojan War, with Mary Beard - FULL EPISODE
Tom Holland interviews classicist Mary Beard at Leighton House about the Trojan War and its place between myth and history. They retell the…
EpisodeGreek Myths: The Riddle of the Sphinx (Part 2)
This episode of The Rest Is History examines the myth of Oedipus and its cultural afterlife. Holland and Sandbrook retell the Sophoclean tr…
EpisodeGreek Myths: Jason & The Quest for the Golden Fleece (Part 4)
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the myth of Jason and the Argonauts and its literary afterlife, especially Apollonius of Rhodes' …
Classical worlds from Mesopotamia to Rome.
Ancient Civilisations & Classical Antiquity
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RIHC: Is Marathon the Most Important Battle in Ancient History?
In this Rest Is History Club Q&A bonus, hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook revisit the Battle of Marathon, fielding listener questions…
EpisodeGreece vs Persia: The Rise of the First Superpower (Part 1)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the early Persian response to the Ionian Revolt, beginning with the burning of Sa…
EpisodeGreece vs Persia: The Battle of Marathon (Part 2)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook dramatise the pivotal Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. Drawing on He…
EpisodeWine and the Birth of Civilisation
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the eight‑thousand‑year saga of wine, from its prehistoric roots in the Georgian hi…
Bridging Rome to medieval Europe.
Late Antiquity & Early Middle Ages
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Dawn of the Samurai: Bloodbath at the Bridge (Part 2)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their multi‑part series on the rise of the samurai, focu…
EpisodeRIHC: Ancient Iran, Cyrus the Great, and Persian Nationalism
This bonus episode of The Rest Is History features Tom Holland interviewing Professor Ali Ansari about how post‑revolutionary Iran has trea…
EpisodeRIHC: Corrupt US Presidents, Wartime Prime Ministers, and the Birth of Byzantium
This bonus episode reunites Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook for a Rest Is History club Q&A. They open by referencing recent episodes (Sir…
EpisodeRIHC: Irish Kings, Medieval Magic, and The Norman Invasion of Ireland
This bonus episode features historian Gillian Kenny discussing the social, legal and ecclesiastical world of Ireland before the Anglo-Norma…
Crusades, kingdoms and cathedrals.
High & Late Middle Ages
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Empress Matilda: Civil War and the Fight for the Throne
In this Rest Is History Club mini‑series episode, Tom Holland welcomes historian Helen Castor to discuss the "She‑Wolves" of medieval Engla…
EpisodeDawn of the Samurai: Japan’s Greatest Warrior (Part 3)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the legendary 12th‑century clash between the warrior monk…
EpisodeDawn of the Samurai: The Shōgun Triumphant (Part 4)
In this episode of The Rest Is History Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their deep‑dive into the Genpei War, focusing on the dram…
EpisodeDawn of the Samurai: The Shadow of the Sword (Part 1)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook launch a new series on the origins and evolution of the samurai. They begin with a vivid …
Renaissance, reformations and global voyages.
Early Modern & Renaissance
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Empress Matilda: Civil War and the Fight for the Throne
In this Rest Is History Club mini‑series episode, Tom Holland welcomes historian Helen Castor to discuss the "She‑Wolves" of medieval Engla…
EpisodeThe Mystery of the Mona Lisa
In this episode of The Rest Is History Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the enduring fascination with Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lis…
EpisodeNew World Wine: The Drink of Emperors
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeWine and the Birth of Civilisation
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the eight‑thousand‑year saga of wine, from its prehistoric roots in the Georgian hi…
Ideas, empires and revolutions reshaping the world.
Enlightenment & Age of Revolutions
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The Mystery of the Mona Lisa
In this episode of The Rest Is History Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the enduring fascination with Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lis…
EpisodeWine in the New World
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeRIHC: London’s Golden Age EXTRA - James Boswell’s Secret Diaries
In this Rest Is History bonus episode, host Tom Holland (joined by guest Adam Sisman) revisits the legacy of James Boswell and his seminal …
EpisodeLondon’s Golden Age: The Ghosts of Culloden (Part 3)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore Samuel Johnson’s 1773 journey to the Scottish Hebrides with his companion James B…
Steam, empire and the long 19th century.
Industrial & Imperial Age (Long 19th Century)
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The First World War: The Submarine Strikes (Part 3)
In this third episode of their 1915 series, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the sinking of the RMS Lusitania on 7 May 1915. They …
EpisodeWine in the New World
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeNew World Wine: The Drink of Emperors
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeTechnology: The Great Depression, Inventing the Flash, and the Polaroid Puzzle - History in Photos
In the final episode of an exclusive mini‑series on photography and history, hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook welcome photographer C…
Total war, upheaval and the uneasy peace between.
World Wars & Inter-war Era
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The First World War: Italy’s Doomed Campaign (Part 2)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine Italy’s disastrous entry into the First World War in 1915…
EpisodeThe First World War: The Submarine Strikes (Part 3)
In this third episode of their 1915 series, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the sinking of the RMS Lusitania on 7 May 1915. They …
EpisodeThe First World War: The Spy Who Took on the Germans (Part 4)
In this episode of The Rest Is History Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook recount the extraordinary life and death of British nurse Edith Ca…
EpisodeThe First World War: Slaughter at Gallipoli (Part 5)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign of 1915, a bold but ill‑fated attempt by Winsto…
Superpower stand-offs and post-war recovery.
Mid-20th Century & Cold War
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Britain in the 70s: Scandal in Downing Street (Part 3)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the turbulent mid‑1970s in Britain, focusing on the cultural shockwaves of David …
EpisodeBritain in the 70s: The Rise of Thatcher (Part 1)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the turbulent politics of mid‑1970s Britain, focusing on …
EpisodeBritain in the 70s: The Bailout from Hell (Part 4)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the political and economic turmoil that engulfed Britain in 1976, focusing on Pri…
EpisodeBritain in the 70s: The Brexit That Never Was (Part 2)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine Britain’s turbulent mid‑1970s, focusing on Harold Wilson’s precarious second prem…
Globalisation, technology and the present day.
Contemporary Era (Post-1991)
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Tom Holland Meets Paul McCartney
In this special Rest Is History episode, host Tom Holland sits down with legendary musician Paul McCartney to discuss McCartney’s new album…
EpisodeNew World Wine: The Drink of Emperors
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeWine in the New World
In this bonus episode of The Rest Is History, host Tom Holland welcomes wine historian Henry Jeffries, author of Empire of Booze, to explor…
EpisodeWine and the Birth of Civilisation
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook trace the eight‑thousand‑year saga of wine, from its prehistoric roots in the Georgian hi…
Cross-era specials, biographies and deep dives.
Thematic / Biographical series
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The First World War: The Spy Who Took on the Germans (Part 4)
In this episode of The Rest Is History Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook recount the extraordinary life and death of British nurse Edith Ca…
EpisodeThe First World War: Slaughter at Gallipoli (Part 5)
In this episode Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the disastrous Gallipoli Campaign of 1915, a bold but ill‑fated attempt by Winsto…
EpisodeDawn of the Samurai: Bloodbath at the Bridge (Part 2)
In this episode of The Rest Is History, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook continue their multi‑part series on the rise of the samurai, focu…
EpisodeRIHC: The Hitler Interviews
In this episode of The Rest Is History, hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook welcome historian and author Richard Evans, whose book Inte…