The Rest Is History
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
185 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 1h 6min
646. The Fall of the Incas: Death to the Emperor (Part 3)
A dramatic recounting of Atahualpa's capture, the room‑filling ransom and the massive melting of Inca treasure. They trace daily life in captivity, Inca rituals, and how holding the emperor shifted authority. Tensions rise as Spanish reinforcements arrive, divisions over loot grow, and a controversial trial leads to baptism and execution, leaving a power vacuum that sends the conquistadors toward Cusco.
69 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 21min
The Book Club: Wuthering Heights
A lively dive into Wuthering Heights’ gothic moors and why it keeps reading as a romance. They debate whether Heathcliff is a tragic romantic or an abusive antihero. The conversation traces Emily Brontë’s mysterious life, family creativity, and how her temperament shaped the novel. Themes of violence, revenge and generational fallout get pointed attention.
216 snips
Feb 19, 2026 • 1h 9min
645. The Fall of the Incas: Massacre in the Andes (Part 2)
A dramatic retelling of the 1532 face-off between Spanish conquistadors and the Inca emperor. They cover Pizarro’s risky inland march and the weakened, divided Inca world. Listeners hear about tense first meetings, cultural misunderstandings over horses and gifts, and the brutal plaza ambush that changed the Andes forever.
10 snips
Feb 18, 2026 • 6min
Greatest Paintings: Age of Enlightenment - Raeburn's Skating Minister
Laura Cumming, art critic and author known for lucid analyses of paintings, explores Henry Raeburn’s The Skating Minister. She unpacks its comic dignity and unusual pose. She traces tensions between Scottish Enlightenment sobriety and Romantic atmosphere. She also discusses the painting’s links to Dutch Golden Age traditions and its role in Scottish identity controversy.
644 snips
Feb 16, 2026 • 1h 16min
644. The Fall of the Incas: Empire of Gold (Part 1)
A gripping retelling of Francisco Pizarro’s rise from poverty to conquistador and the brutal motivations behind the Spanish advance. Vivid accounts of early voyages, the Immortal Thirteen, and tense coastal encounters. A deep look at the glittering Incan state: quipus, roads, mit’a labor, and how smallpox and civil war left the empire vulnerable.
224 snips
Feb 12, 2026 • 1h
643. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Carthage Destroyed (Part 4)
A dramatic finale to Rome and Carthage’s long rivalry, tracing how Roman fears, legal pretexts, and financial motives drove war. The discussion covers Carthage’s desperate mobilization, Scipio Aemilianus’ siege engineering, the brutal urban assault and mass enslavement, and Rome’s wider push to dominate the Mediterranean.
26 snips
Feb 11, 2026 • 6min
Greatest Paintings: The Ghost of Spain – Velázquez’s Las Meninas
Laura Cumming, art critic and author, offers a personal take on Velázquez’s Las Meninas and reads from her book The Vanishing Man. She describes first encounters with the painting and its lifelike figures. Conversations explore how the work blurs viewer and artwork, hints at a fading Spanish Golden Age, and foreshadows later painting styles.
227 snips
Feb 9, 2026 • 1h 9min
642. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Bloodbath in Africa (Part 3)
A dramatic military showdown between Rome and Carthage unfolds, focusing on Scipio’s bold invasion of North Africa and Hannibal’s return to face him. They cover treachery, Numidian politics, and a brutal clash at Zama. The narrative follows the fallout: crippling peace terms, shifting alliances, and the long shadow those decisions cast over the Mediterranean.
257 snips
Feb 5, 2026 • 1h 1min
641. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Hannibal’s Nemesis (Part 2)
A sweeping retelling of the Iberian campaign that turned the tide against Carthage. Bold youth, theatrical self-fashioning, and Numidian politics reshape power in Spain. A daring amphibious assault on New Carthage and a crucial clash at Ibera shift momentum. Strategic marches, intercepted reinforcements, and the rise of Scipio set up a dramatic march toward Africa.
22 snips
Feb 4, 2026 • 10min
Greatest Paintings: Dawn of the Dutch Golden Age - The Arnolfini Portrait
Laura Cumming, art critic and author, guides a fresh look at Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait with a short, vivid mini bio. She teases the painting’s famed mysteries, its hyper-real technique, the puzzling identities and gestures, and the many symbolic objects like the mirror, dog and oranges. Several historical twists and provenance questions are hinted at.
