Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic, have faced his various trials in real life?
Join Tom and Dominic as they unravel the legendary story of Homer’s Odyssey, and its historical precedents.
_______
Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.
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
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Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com
0:00 Odysseus’ Fatal Mistake
0:43 Lloyds
1:55 Russell Crowe Opens The Odyssey
7:51 How the Journey Home Begins
17:43 The Land That Makes Men Forget Home
21:45 Trapped Inside the Cyclops’ Cave
33:33 Did the Greeks Believe the Monsters Were Real?
38:00 The Bag of Winds — and a Fleet Destroyed
43:44 Circe Turns Odysseus’ Men Into Pigs
51:59 Odysseus Enters the Land of the Dead
57:12 Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis
1:00:09 The Barbecue That Dooms the Entire Crew
1:07:00 Seven Years Trapped With Calypso
1:15:13 Penelope’s Trick and the 108 Suitors
1:20:14 Telemachus Searches for His Father
1:24:46 Odysseus Is Offered Immortality
1:27:13 Poseidon Strikes Again
1:31:23 Nausicaa and the Perfect Island
1:36:42 Athena’s Plan to Retake Ithaca
1:43:20 Father and Son Reunited
1:47:48 The Dog Who Waited 20 Years
1:50:58 The Scar That Reveals Odysseus
1:53:51 The Contest of the Bow
1:58:19 The Slaughter of the Suitors
2:03:19 Penelope’s Final Test
2:07:04 Why The Odyssey Still Endures
Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook
Social channels:
instagram.com/theresthistory
tiktok.com/@theresthistory
https://x.com/TheRestHistory
https://bsky.app/profile/theresthistory.bsky.social
threads.com/@theresthistory
Video Editor: Jack Meek, Harry Swan & Adam Thornton
Social Producer: Harry Balden
Producers: Aaliyah Akude & Tabby Syrett
Senior Producer: Callum Hill
Executive Producer: Dom Johnson
Head of Digital & Social: Sam Oakley
How does The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of all time, unfold? What historical events may it be based on? And, where might Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic, have faced his various trials in real life?
Join Tom and Dominic as they unravel the legendary story of Homer’s Odyssey, and its historical precedents.
_______
Lloyds. 250 years on and still backing the nation's aspirations.
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
To read our new newsletter, sign up at:
therestishistory.com/newsletters
Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com
0:00 Odysseus’ Fatal Mistake
0:43 Lloyds
1:55 Russell Crowe Opens The Odyssey
7:51 How the Journey Home Begins
17:43 The Land That Makes Men Forget Home
21:45 Trapped Inside the Cyclops’ Cave
33:33 Did the Greeks Believe the Monsters Were Real?
38:00 The Bag of Winds — and a Fleet Destroyed
43:44 Circe Turns Odysseus’ Men Into Pigs
51:59 Odysseus Enters the Land of the Dead
57:12 Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis
1:00:09 The Barbecue That Dooms the Entire Crew
1:07:00 Seven Years Trapped With Calypso
1:15:13 Penelope’s Trick and the 108 Suitors
1:20:14 Telemachus Searches for His Father
1:24:46 Odysseus Is Offered Immortality
1:27:13 Poseidon Strikes Again
1:31:23 Nausicaa and the Perfect Island
1:36:42 Athena’s Plan to Retake Ithaca
1:43:20 Father and Son Reunited
1:47:48 The Dog Who Waited 20 Years
1:50:58 The Scar That Reveals Odysseus
1:53:51 The Contest of the Bow
1:58:19 The Slaughter of the Suitors
2:03:19 Penelope’s Final Test
2:07:04 Why The Odyssey Still Endures
Twitter:
@TheRestHistory
@holland_tom
@dcsandbrook
Social channels:
instagram.com/theresthistory
tiktok.com/@theresthistory
https://x.com/TheRestHistory
https://bsky.app/profile/theresthistory.bsky.social
threads.com/@theresthistory
Video Editor: Jack Meek, Harry Swan & Adam Thornton
Social Producer: Harry Balden
Producers: Aaliyah Akude & Tabby Syrett
Senior Producer: Callum Hill
Executive Producer: Dom Johnson
Head of Digital & Social: Sam Oakley
