logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
58m 42s

79. Ancient Olympics

Goalhanger
About this episode

With the Games underway in Tokyo, Tom and Dominic look back to the Ancient Olympics. They discuss the heroic but incredibly violent stories of the Greek superstars of 2500 years ago, and why the Games were bad news for women, animals and cheats. Plus, Tom reveals how his cricketing woes were compounded by an Ancient Greek poet.


A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production

Produced by Jack Davenport

Exec Producer Tony Pastor


*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:


Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!


Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com


Twitter: 


@TheRestHistory


@holland_tom


@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
594. The First World War: The Invasion of Belgium (Part 1)
Following the declaration of war in 1914, how did the outbreak of the First World War unfold? What were the earliest military engagements of this terrible, totemic event? Who were its key political players and how did they respond? What was the attitude to the war in Germany? Wer ... Show More
1 h
Aug 20
593. The Fight of the Century
Why did two men - John Heenan and and Tom Sayers - illegally meet in a field in Hampshire, in 1860, to brutally fight one another, captivating Britain in the process? What can the fight tell us about the nature of Britishness in the 19th century? Was this the birth of boxing? Who ... Show More
57m 19s
Aug 17
592. Mad Victorian Sport
How and when was football invented, and what are the origins of football clubs? What is the connection between public hangings, highwaymen, and early sporting events? Which is the most historically important sporting ground in the world? When was the first cricket test match play ... Show More
56m 35s
Recommended Episodes
May 2021
The Olympic Games
Ancient history legend Robin Waterfield came on the podcast to talk about the Olympic Games in antiquity. The first of a small miniseries on the ancient site of Olympia. Robin is the author of ‘Olympia: The Story of the Ancient Olympic Games’. See acast.com/privacy for privacy an ... Show More
43m 44s
Sep 2023
Les Jeux Olympiques antiques
D'ici peu, la planète vibrera lors des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de Paris 2024. Ils marqueront la fin de la 33e olympiade moderne qui a commencé à Athènes à la fin du 19e sous l'impulsion d'un baron français... On parle d'ailleurs de Jeux Olympiques modernes, relancés par ... Show More
37m 43s
Dec 2019
Olympic Bombing and The Wrong Man, Richard Jewell | 12
In July 1996, a back pack bomb rocked the Summer Olympics in Atlanta killing one person and injuring over 100 others. The bomb had been left under a bench in the middle of Centennial Olympic Park on the eighth day of the games. On this episode of History of the 90s, host Kathy Ke ... Show More
51m 23s
Dec 2023
A Guide to Ancient Egypt
Egypt was a vast kingdom of the ancient world. Its rulers were considered gods and wielded tremendous power and wealth. Egyptian scholars, astrologists and thinkers pioneered in their fields. Lasting for millennia, the kingdom's influence on culture, economics and politics was fe ... Show More
41m 32s
Feb 2022
The Origins of London
London is today one of the greatest cities in the world, and the story of its origins is fittingly spectacular. Founded by the Romans as Londinium in around 47-50 AD, the metropolis served as a major commercial hub and indeed military target until its abandonment in the 5th centu ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2022
The First Britons
67 million people currently inhabit the United Kingdom - but what do we know about the original, first Britons? It's no secret when looking back into pre-history that it was a time of mass migration for animals and people alike, but who were our early inhabitants, and what can we ... Show More
49m 20s
Mar 2024
Warfare in Ancient Greece
How did warfare work in Ancient Greece? The weapons and armour of the Greek hoplite are legendary, as are the warrior cultures of city-states like Sparta. But how would a Greek battle have played out on the ground? Dan is joined by Roel Konijnendijk, Darby Fellow in Ancient Histo ... Show More
49m 15s
Dec 2023
Zeus
Zeus, the chief deity in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of sky and thunder, and is king of all other gods and men. His tale is one of overthrowing fathers, eating babies and seducing women, both mortal and divine, by changing his own form. He's one of the most complex figur ... Show More
53m 20s
Aug 2021
The Fight for the First U.S. Olympics | Passing the Torch | 4
The 1904 St. Louis Olympics were marred by controversy and poorly organized events like the marathon. But at least they took place as scheduled. In 1916, after the outbreak of World War I, they were canceled entirely. A century later, in 2020, the Olympics faced another kind of t ... Show More
38m 44s
Aug 2022
Welcome to American History Hit
Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today. We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the Bri ... Show More
3m 12s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami