The Rest Is History transcripts.
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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 e

• 2026-10-07 The Terror: The Fall of Robespierre (Part 6) Why did the Terror reach unprecedented levels of bloodshed in 1794? Who was running France by this point? And, how was Robespierre finally destroyed, and dragged to the guillotine by his former allies…? Join Dominic and Tom as they reach the terrifying, climactic conclusion to th Transcript →
• 2026-10-04 The Terror: Killing God (Part 5) Why did Robespierre hold a vast, eccentric festival in 1794 when The Reign of Terror was at its most frenzied? What does it reveal about his psychology and belief in the divine? And, did he really believe that the French Revolution could succeed in supplanting the Christian God? Transcript →
• 2026-09-30 The Terror: Death at the Guillotine (Part 4) How did two of the French Revolution's leading figures, Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre, differ in their views on how to further the cause? Which scandalous conspiracy was Danton accused of being involved in that would lead him to the guillotine? And, was it true? Or th Transcript →
• 2026-09-29 Why The French Revolution Turned Violent with Simon Schama Why did the French Revolution descend into the Reign of Terror? How similar were the revolutionary Committee of Public Safety and the overthrown Ancien Régime? And, was there a point where the governing elite could have maintained control? In today's special bonus episode, Domini Transcript →
• 2026-09-27 The Terror: The Execution of Marie Antoinette (Part 3) In what conditions was Marie Antoinette - once the most glamorous woman in Europe - imprisoned for over a year, before and after the execution of King Louis XVI? Why were the French Revolutionaries divided on her own fate? And, how did she finally face the guillotine on October 1 Transcript →
• 2026-09-23 The Terror: The Reign of Robespierre (Part 2) Where did Maximilien Robespierre come from and what led him to rise from provincial obscurity to play a major role in the French Revolution? Why is he considered the central figure in the Reign of Terror? And how did a fastidious man opposed to violence become the chief proponent Transcript →
• 2026-09-22 The Man Who Painted The Terror Who was Jacques-Louis David, the neoclassical painter of Revolutionary France? What was his relationship with journalist and Montagnard, Jean-Paul Marat? And, how does David’s painting, The Death of Marat, represent both the artistic and political climate of late 18th century Par Transcript →
• 2026-09-20 The Terror: How The French Revolution Collapsed Into Chaos (Part 1) How did the infamous murder of Jean-Paul Marat, one of the great firebrands of the French Revolution, unleash the bloody Terror? Why did the clashing political factions of the Revolution escalate the fractious atmosphere in France? And, which other apocalyptic threats saw the Fre Transcript →
• 2026-09-17 The History of Satire with Ian Hislop How has satire been used to critique governments throughout the years? What makes the illustrations of James Gillray and Jonathan Swift so timeless? And, what distinguishes today's satire formats from other eras? In this very special bonus episode, we share an exclusive talk from Transcript →
• 2026-09-16 Queen Victoria’s Revenge: Storming the Citadel (Part 2) Who was Lieutenant General Napier, the man set out to rescue the European hostages held by Emperor Tewodros II? How did he plan to attack the emperor’s fortress, Magdala? And, did they manage to successfully escape Abyssinia? Join Dominic and Tom as they conclude the story of one Transcript →
• 2026-09-15 The Mad Emperor's Lost Son What made Hormuzd Rassam the extraordinary character he proved to be? Who was Captain Speedy, the explorer and adventurer? And, what happened to Prince Alemayehu, Emperor Tewodros’s son, after his suicide? In today’s bonus episode, Tom and Dominic dive deep into the side characte Transcript →
• 2026-09-13 Queen Victoria’s Revenge: The Mad Emperor of Abyssinia (Part 1) Who was Emperor Tewodros II, the colourful and controversial Emperor of Abyssinia? Why did he brutally imprison a number of British emissaries, and how did Queen Victoria respond? And, how would this spark one of the most ambitious expeditions undertaken by the British Empire…? J Transcript →
• 2026-09-09 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, would go on to bring down the Republic, with Julius Caesar? And, how did a momentous battle in the East see Sulla elevated to Transcript →
• 2026-09-08 Cicero: Defender of the Republic Who was the statesman Cicero, and how did he rise from provincial obscurity to become one of Rome’s greatest orators, crushing conspiracy along the way? How did he defend the Roman Republic against Julius Caesar and his allies? And, why did his long and tumultuous life end with a Transcript →
• 2026-09-06 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 capture and death? And, would Marius retaliate…? Join Tom and Dominic as they unfold the mounting riva Transcript →
• 2026-09-03 What Made The Romans Different with Mary Beard How did Roman attitudes toward slavery differ from modern moral views? Why was everyday life so violent? And, which Roman emperor would you least want to live under? In this very special bonus episode, we share an exclusive talk from The Rest Is History Festival at Hampton Court Transcript →
• 2026-09-02 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 with Gaius Marius in a totemic struggle termed the Social War? And, who were the terrifying Germanic tribes amas Transcript →
• 2026-09-01 The General Who Made Rome Invincible How responsible was Marius for a revolution in Roman military practice? Was he the inventor of the very legions that the likes of Pompey, Caesar, and Augustus would come to command? And, can he really be seen as one of the greatest generals of the Roman Republic? In this week's b Transcript →
• 2026-08-30 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, and political greatness, from total obscurity, so dangerous? And, would Marius be the man to face down the existential threat facing the empire du Transcript →
• 2026-08-26 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 violent day? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the tragic events of Bloody Sunday, and the final attempt at peace in Northern I Transcript →