An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

Ferdowsi

2 books referenced

Books by Ferdowsi

Shahnameh

Referenced in 2 episodes

636. Revolution in Iran: Fall of the Shah (Part 1)

January 19, 2026

Context:

Tom Holland mentions this as the great epic of Iran, noting it's literally 'the book of kings' and that when the Shah stands up, he is correctly conscious of himself as the heir to thousands of years of rule by monarchs.

560. The Golden Age of Japan: Lady Murasaki and the Shining Prince (Part 1)

April 27, 2025

Context:

Described as 'the great epic of the Iranian people' written by the poet Ferdowsi in Persia during the same period as The Tale of Genji, containing 'sorcerers and giant talking birds and Alexander the Great'

The Book of Kings (Shahnameh)

Referenced in 1 episode

41. Persia

April 08, 2021

Context:

Described as 'the great epic poem of Iran' - referenced when discussing how Iranian nationalist historiographers calculated the length of the kingdom of Iran going back through mythical history