Why is modern society so self-obsessed? The answer may be found in a group of late 18th century German rebels, including the writer Goethe and playwright Friedrich Schiller. Andrea Wulf joins Dominic and Tom in today's episode to discuss the rebels' progressive (and often scandalous) lives and her new book, 'Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self'.&nbsp; Join&nbsp;<a href="https://therestishistory.supportingcast.fm/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Rest Is History Club</a>&nbsp;for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/theresthistory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@TheRestHistory</a><a href="https://twitter.com/holland_tom" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@holland_tom</a><a href="https://twitter.com/dcsandbrook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@dcsandbrook</a> Email: restishistorypod@gmail.com

234. Germans Behaving Badly

A story spanning modern-day Ghana, Angola, and Benin, historian Luke Pepera joins Tom and Dominic to discuss the tradition of African queens, female warriors, and military commanders. Through the lives of Queen Nzinga of Ndongo, the Dahomey warriors, and the Ashanti Queen mothers, our hosts look at how these figures interacted with their male counterparts, their subjects, and European colonisers. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:Tom and Dominic are going on an international tour in 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, Salford, Dublin, Washington D.C. and New York!&nbsp;Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:&nbsp;@TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

317. African Amazons

It's 1718, an English Quaker lands in Barbados. He is soon horrified to discover the treatment of people working the plantations there. Treatment the Marquis de Sade saw as the only cruelty that could rival that of the ancients. Listen to discover how Benjamin Lay became the first abolitionist, performing many stunts to shock and convince his fellow Quakers and humans that slavery was abhorrent and wrong. This episode contains graphic details of the torture of enslaved people, including mentions of suicide. This content is not intended for younger audiences, and listener discretion is advised. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*:Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here:https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp;@TheRestHistory&nbsp;@holland_tom&nbsp;@dcsandbrook

316. The First Abolitionist

From claims that the alphabet was originated by Atlantians, Francis Bacon using the story as a model of utopia, to the Nazis co-opting Atlantis as the birthplace of the Aryan race, everyone seems to have wanted a slice of the Atlantian&nbsp;pie. Join Tom and Dominic as they explore the academics and the amateurs who lay claim to discovering the real Atlantis.&nbsp; *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*:Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here:https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp;@TheRestHistory&nbsp;@holland_tom&nbsp;@dcsandbrook

315. Atlantis: Legacy of the Lost Empire

Majestic palaces, untold riches, and indeterminable power... the story of Atlantis is a tale as old as time. But is there really any truth behind the ancient tome, or was Plato simply trying his hand at political satire? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the origins of the legend of Atlantis. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*: Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here: <a href="https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/</a> Twitter:&nbsp; @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

314. Atlantis: The Legend

Have humans always been haunted by fears of a climate apocalypse? Or is that a modern phenomenon? Is there a continuity from the Curse of Akkad to the Industrial Revolution? Listen as Tom and Dominic are joined by Peter Frankopan to discuss the history of the climate. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*: Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here: <a href="https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/</a> Twitter:&nbsp; @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

313. Climate Apocalypse 

Warmonger or nuclear disarmer? Ronald Reagan’s presidency survived an assassination attempt, the AIDS epidemic and the Iranian hostage crisis. He powered through the 1980s, creating his own truth and narrative, in a series of events that read like a Hollywood screenplay.&nbsp; Tom and Dominic take a look at the impact of Reagan's presidency, the enduring effects of his politics, and why none of the scandals that scarred his time in office led to his downfall. They reflect on Reagan's legacy, and whether he can truly take credit for ending the Cold War, as the curtain falls on his blockbuster presidency. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*: Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here: https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp; @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

312. Reagan, Iran-Contra and the Cold War

His Hollywood career drying up, Ronald Reagan works both for the Screen Actors Guild and General Electric in the 1950s. Building connections with the Californian elite, and having gained national attention with a speech for the Republican presidential candidate in 1964, he becomes Governor of California in 1966. A pragmatic, anti-hippie, centre-right governor, he goes on to win the Republican presidential nomination at his second attempt, and the American presidency at his first. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*: Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here: https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp; @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

311. Reagan: The Road to the White House

Ronald "Dutch" Reagan was born in 1911 to a humble family of Illinois, his father an FDR-loving democrat, his mother a notable member of the local Christian community. A high school football star, "Dutch" would grow up to become one of America's favourite sports broadcasters, a Hollywood actor and a union leader, before finally entering American political life in 1964. The first episode of our three-part series on Ronald Reagan sees Tom and Dominic look at his childhood, his early career, his romantic life pre-Nancy, and the beginning of his journey towards Republican politics. *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*:Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here:https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp;@TheRestHistory&nbsp;@holland_tom&nbsp;@dcsandbrook

310. Ronald Reagan and the American Dream 

Christopher Columbus caused debate in his own time, and remains a controversial figure today: some argue he initiated both the Atlantic slave trade and the genocide of the Native Americans, others laud him as one of the great men of History. Join Tom and Dominic as they explore these issues, their roots, and the truth behind the man Columbus really was... *The Rest Is History Live Tour April 2023*:Tom and Dominic are going on tour in April 2023 and performing in London, Edinburgh, and Salford! Buy your tickets here:https://robomagiclive.com/the-rest-is-history/ Twitter:&nbsp;@TheRestHistory&nbsp;@holland_tom&nbsp;@dcsandbrook

309. Columbus: Villain or Hero?

Historians&nbsp;Tom Holland&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dominic Sandbrook&nbsp;are interrogating the past, and attempting to de-tangle the present. They question the nature of Greatness, why the West no longer has civil wars and whether Richard Nixon was more like Caligula or Claudius.&nbsp;&nbsp; They're distilling the entirety&nbsp;of human history, or, as much as they can fit into about&nbsp;fifty minutes. Join <a href="www.restishistorypod.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Rest Is History Club</a> (www.restishistorypod.com) for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Here are some of our favourite episodes to get you started: WATERGATE/NIXON <a href="https://t.co/ZKMxsY6X8m" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">apple.co/3JrVl5h</a> ALEXANDER THE GREAT <a href="https://t.co/a5EddcghTP" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">apple.co/3Q4FaNk</a> HARDCORE HISTORY'S DAN CARLIN <a href="https://t.co/C8uIY8WU6F" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">apple.co/3vqkGa3</a> PUTIN &amp; RUSSIA <a href="https://t.co/3czBERtFde" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">apple.co/3zMtLfX</a>

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234. Germans Behaving Badly

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316. The First Abolitionist

315. Atlantis: Legacy of the Lost Empire

314. Atlantis: The Legend