Alexander the Great, with Mary Beard

No one was like him, terrible were his crimes… Where was Alexander the Great born, and who were his parents? What drove him to go beyond the Aegean empire he had already carved out for himself, and conquer lands beyond the limits of the Greek world? Why did Alexander eventually turn back, after ten years of conquest? And, how much of his legend is actually true?  In the second episode of this exclusive new series on four of the most iconic subjects from classical antiquity, Tom is joined again by the world renowned classicist, Mary Beard, to discuss one of history’s most famous men: Alexander the Great….hero or villain?  **To hear the full episode, and all the other exclusive new episodes from Mary and Tom's ancient history series, coming out every Friday for the next four weeks, join The Rest is History Club at ⁠therestishistory.com⁠** _______ Twitter:@TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editor: Jack Meek  Social Producer: Harry Balden Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude  Producer: Tabby Syrett Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After two years at sea, what happened when Horatio Nelson - now Britain’s most celebrated naval commander - finally returned home, to his wife and father? Following his involvement in the poisonous politics of Naples, his terrible treatment of the Jacobite rebels, and starting an affair with the notorious Lady Emma Hamilton, how was Nelson received? And, with the storm clouds of war gathering above the Baltic, in what heroic way would Nelson next be called to serve his country? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Nelson’s controversial return to Britain, his relationship with Emma Hamilton, and the road to the legendary Battle of Copenhagen… _______ Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply* *Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. Search Vanguard to find out more. When investing, your capital is at risk. Tax rules apply. _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editor: Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Balden Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude Producer: Tabby Syrett Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Exec Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happened when the heroic Horatio Nelson, victor of the Battle of the Nile, sailed into the seething city of Naples? Why would his meeting with the glamorous celebrity, Lady Emma Hamilton, shape the rest of his life? And, why would his decision to lend his support to the foolhardy Neapolitan campaign to “liberate all of Italy” from the formidable French, prove to be one of the most controversial episodes of Nelson’s career? Join Dominic and Tom as they voyage deeper into the life of Nelson, and the incident that nearly destroyed his reputation forever…. Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply**Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. 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 _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editor: Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry Baldwin Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude  Producer: Tabby Syrett Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Exec Producer: Dom Johnson  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did the Trojan War - the ten year, cosmic clash between the Greeks and the Trojans, featuring the Olympian gods, kings and heroes - actually happen? Is there any evidence for the existence of the Trojan Horse? And, why is it the war the foundational myth of both ancient Greece and ancient Rome? To launch a brand new bonus series, Tom is joined by the world famous classicist, Mary Beard, to discuss four of classical antiquity’s most iconic subjects. Today: the Trojan War…. **To hear the full episode, and all the other exclusive new episodes from Mary and Tom's ancient history series, coming out every Friday for the next four weeks, join The Rest is History Club at therestishistory.com** FUTURE EPISODES....Oct 17th: ALEXANDER THE GREATOct 24th: JULIUS CAESAROct 31st: GLADIATORS & SPARTACUS_______Twitter:@TheRestHistory@holland_tom@dcsandbrookVideo Editor: Jack MeekSocial Producer: Harry BaldenAssistant Producer: Aaliyah AkudeProducer: Tabby SyrettSenior Producer: Theo Young-SmithExec Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to become a model, actress, dancer, and even an international celebrity? And, why was theirs one of the most famous love affairs of all time? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of history's most remarkable woman - Lady Emma Hamilton - and explore her celebrated relationship with one of Britain's greatest, and most tragic heroes.  Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply* *Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. Learn more at https://uber.com/onourway _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editor: Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Baldwin Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude Producer: Tabby Syrett Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Exec Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was Enoch Powell, the deeply controversial British conservative politician? Why is he the father of Brexit, and possibly even Reform? And, how did he come to make his inflammatory ‘Rivers of Blood speech’, in 1968?    Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Enoch Powell - one of the most incendiary and contentious figures in all of British political history - and his enduring shadow today. Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply* *Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. Learn more at https://www.uber.com/onourway 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 _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Senior Producer: Theo Young-Smith Producer: Tabby Syrett Assistant Producer: Aaliyah Akude  Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What terrifying trials did Jason and the Argonauts have to overcome to win the famous Golden Fleece from a fire-breathing dragon, in one of the greatest greek myths of all time? When and where does this thrilling story come from? How does it tie together the tales of Odysseus, Orpheus, Achilles and Circe? Is there any historical evidence for the story of Jason and the Argonauts? What are the origins of Medea, the beautiful but vindictive sorceress who Jason marries? Did the Greeks still worship the Olympian gods in the more skeptical Hellenistic age? How did the coming of Alexander the Great transform the Greeks’ understanding of the divine? And, were the Olympian gods really once mortal kings and queens of an earlier age, or were they planets..? Join Tom and Dominic as they conclude their epic journey into the glorious heart of Greek mythology, as they explore their evolution in an increasingly skeptical Hellenistic world, and answer the question; why did the Greek myths endure and captivate audiences throughout history, in a way that no other culture’s mythology did? Start generating your own greener electricity for less, with £500 off Solar. Visit https://www.hivehome.com/history for more information. T&Cs apply. *Output and savings varies by season, electricity usage and system size. Paid-for surplus requires an eligible SEG tariff. Offer for new customers only. Ends 17th November. Learn more at https://www.uber.com/onourway 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 _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude  Video Producer: Oli Oakley  Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was Dionysus, the son of Zeus, and Greek god of ecstasy, revelry and madness? Why was he so central to the ancient Greeks? What is the story of the Bacchae, the play in which a young man is ripped apart by the handmaidens of the goddess Artemis? What did it mean to be a Bacchae, one of the followers of Dionysus, and what shocking acts did it entail? Why were female cults like this believed to be integral to the survival of Athens? How did Dionysus’ cult subvert all the conventions of Ancient Greek society? What hedonistic revels occurred at his festivals every year? And, what hidden secrets about his historical origins have been unlocked by subsequent archaeological discoveries…? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of the most exotic and erotic of the Greek gods: Dionysus, and the origins of The Bacchae, the tragedy that immortalised his story, but also transformed Greek drama, and thereby the world, forever… Try Adobe Express for free now at https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/spotlight/designwithexpress?sdid=HM85WZZV&mv=display&mv2=ctv or by searching in the app store. Learn more at https://www.uber.com/onourway 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 _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude  Video Producer: Bruno Di Castri + Jack Meek Social Producer: Harry Balden Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the story behind the writing of Oedipus, the notorious king of Thebes who murdered his father and unwittingly married his mother? Was it based on a real historical event? What are Oedipus’ cursed mythic origins in Thebes? Who was Sophocles, the legendary Greek playwright? Why was the play a product of 5th century Athens; its rivalries with other greek city states such as Thebes, a raging plague, and the tyrant Pericles? What horrifying events unfold in Oedipus? It is the greatest tragedy of all time? And, how did it later come to influence Sigmund Freud’s unnerving interpretation of the deepest desires of the  subconscious….?  Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss one of the most famous Greek myths of all time: Oedipus; unravelling this disturbing tragedy, delving into its meaning today, and exploring the historical context behind it all.  ______ Try Adobe Express for free now at https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/spotlight/designwithexpress?sdid=HM85WZZV&mv=display&mv2=ctv or by searching in the app store. Learn more at https://www.uber.com/onourway ______ 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 _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude  Video Producer: Jack Meek Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What are the mythic origins of Zeus, King of the Olympians, and the other Greek gods? From what period did the earliest of the Greek myths derive? Who was Hesiod - alongside Homer, the greatest of the Greek poets, and the father of European literature - who first recorded Zeus’ story? When was the golden age of Greek myth? Who were the Titans, and why were they consigned to the fiery pit of Tartarus? Did different regions of Greece have different interpretations of the gods, and do these myths express something particular about ancient Greek culture? And, did people really believe in these famous stories of terrible gods, daring heroes, and great wars? Join Tom and Dominic as they plunge into the glorious, technicolour world of the Greek myths, starting with the tumultuous early life of Cronos, his son Zeus, the war between the gods and the Titans, and some of the most famous Greek heroes of all time - from Perseus to Hercules.  ______ Try Adobe Express for free now at https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/spotlight/designwithexpress?sdid=HM85WZZV&mv=display&mv2=ctv or by searching in the app store. LRB are offering six months access to their full archive for just £12, plus a free tote bag. Visit https://LRB.me/history Learn more at https://www.uber.com/onourway ______ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices