Apr 15

661. Dawn of the Samurai: The Shōgun Triumphant (Part 4)

Who was the greatest female Samurai warrior of all time? What would unfold in the next phase of the terrible civil war between the Minamoto and the Taira dynasties? And, how did the Samurai finally become the masters of Japan? Join Tom and Dominic as they reach the climactic conc ... Show More

1h 4m

Apr 12

660. Dawn of the Samurai: Japan’s Greatest Warrior (Part 3)

Who was Yoshitsune, one of the greatest generals in all Japanese history? What part did he play in the ferocious Samurai civil war between the Minamoto clan and the Taira? And, who would win the most decisive victory in all of Samurai history? Join Tom and Dominic as they delve d ... Show More

1h 1m

Apr 8

659. Dawn of the Samurai: Bloodbath at the Bridge (Part 2)

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. Sig ... Show More

1h 7m

Dec 2020

Object 101

Ten years on from the ground-breaking Radio 4 series, "A History of The World in 100 Objects", former director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor looks back at the impact of the series, on how storytelling in museums has changed over a turbulent decade and asks which object fro ... Show More

37m 51s

Dec 2018

The Rise of the Straw Hat and the Riot of 1922

The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 is a strange piece of history, and it all centered around the boater hat. How did how the boater become so important to men’s fashion in the early 20th century? And how did that lead to a very bizarre conflict in the 1920s? Learn more about your ad-choi ... Show More

29m 33s

Aug 2021

The Lebanese Civil War: A Sectarian War on Four Fronts

<p>This week on Historia Obscura: how several different religious groups and two foreign nations fought for control over a tiny country known for its religious diversity. Special thanks to Patreon subscriber Tom! Subscribe to my Patreon at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/histori ... Show More

22m 36s

Dec 2021

How Julius Caesar Changed Time

<p>We’re finishing off 2021 with what is perhaps Julius Caesar’s greatest legacy. It’s not a military victory or battle, but one of the many political reforms that truly has stood the test of time: the Julian calendar. Before, calendars were largely based on the lunar calendar, a ... Show More

46m 4s

Nov 2020

Paul Jankowski, "All Against All: The Long Winter of 1933 and the Origins of the Second World War" (Harper, 2020)

In his latest monograph, All Against All: The Long Winter of 1933 and The Origins of the Second World War (Harper, 2020), Professor Paul Jankowski (Brandeis University) provides a wide-angled account of a critical period of world history, the interwar years, in which the world tr ... Show More

50m 20s

Sep 2023

Great Reputations: Napoleon

In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodsh ... Show More

1h 2m

Dec 2021

The Origins of Life on Earth

<p>Today we’re going back to the beginning – no Romans, Celts, Egyptians or Macedonians in sight. We’re going much further back, covering billions of years of prehistory as we look at the emergence of life on Earth. From the rise of the earliest microscopic membranes to the arriv ... Show More

1h 24m

Nov 2021

Introducing: History Daily

On History Daily, we do history, daily. Every weekday beginning November 1st, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened on this day in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast ... Show More

17m 40s

Dec 2022

The First Britons

<p>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 ... Show More

49m 20s

Feb 2013

06b: The Diary of Merer

Building the Giza monuments. In the last years of Khufu’s reign, work on the Great Pyramid was nearing completion. From this period, the Diary of Merer provides unexpected testimony: a record of workers contributing to the Giza project… Episode Details Date: c. 2600 BCE. The Di ... Show More

36m 33s

136. 1922: The Birth of the Modern World...