Tom Holland is an acclaimed British author, podcaster and broadcaster (Image: Getty)
Tom Holland has built a reputation as one of Britain’s most popular historians – known for turning ancient history into gripping, accessible narratives. From Rome’s fall to Christianity’s rise, his books offer sweeping views of the ancient world through a modern lens.
Beyond historical works, Holland has also written fiction, including novels like Attis and Deliver Us From Evil, which often incorporate supernatural or horror elements. He also presents the BBC Radio 4 series Making History and co-hosts the popular history podcast The Rest is History with Dominic Sandbrook.
Based on the number of ratings on Goodreads, here are Tom Holland’s ten most-read books, or enlightening journeys into empires, revolutions, and religions that shaped the world.
10. Æthelstan: The Making of England (2016)
1,099 ratings
Part of Penguin’s Monarchs series, this concise biography profiles King Æthelstan, often overlooked despite being the first ruler to unify England. Holland explores how Æthelstan expanded his influence beyond Wessex, subduing rivals and asserting overlordship over Wales and Scotland.
The book details his court’s emphasis on learning and law, framing Æthelstan’s reign as a key moment in the formation of English identity and early medieval statehood.
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9. The Rest Is History: The Official Book (2023)
1,529 ratings
This companion volume to the hugely popular podcast The Rest Is History includes extended transcripts, images, and behind-the-scenes commentary from co-hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.
The book covers a wide array of historical moments – from the ancient world to modern politics – and is packed with anecdotes, context, and humour. It’s designed for both listeners of the podcast and those new to the duo’s storytelling style.
8. Lord of the Dead (1995)
1,805 ratings
Holland’s debut novel reimagines Lord Byron as a vampire who faked his death and continues to haunt the literary world. Set in the 19th century, the book blends horror, biography, and gothic fiction, casting Byron as a brooding, immortal figure caught between past glories and eternal thirst. It’s one of Holland’s ventures outside of his usual history beat, and shows his flair for myth and narrative structure.
7. Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age (2023)
2,980 ratings
In Pax, Holland examines the Roman Empire during its so-called era of peace – from the reign of Augustus through to Hadrian. Far from tranquil, the period is revealed to be one of constant tension beneath the surface.
Holland explores how emperors used propaganda, architecture, and pageantry to project calm while managing succession struggles, provincial revolts, and shifting borders. The book closes out his informal Roman trilogy, following Rubicon and Dynasty.
6. Millennium: The End of the World and the Forging of Christendom (2008)
4,162 ratings
Covering the years around 1000 AD, Millennium chronicles Europe’s transformation from fragmented kingdoms and Viking raids into a more united Christian society. Holland explores apocalyptic fears, religious reform, and the gradual rise of papal and imperial power.
The book also looks at figures like Otto III and Pope Sylvester II, who tried to impose divine order in a chaotic time, showing how millennial anxieties helped shape medieval Europe.
5. In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire (2012)
5,146 ratings
This work traces the fall of the Roman and Persian empires and the emergence of Islam in the 7th century. Holland compares early Islam’s development with Christian and Jewish traditions, arguing that the new faith arose within – and adapted – existing religious and imperial frameworks.
The book was controversial for its critical approach to Islamic origins but praised for its comparative historical depth.
4. Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar (2015)
6,183 ratings
Picking up where Rubicon left off, Dynasty follows the Julio-Claudian emperors – from Augustus to Nero. Holland profiles key figures like Livia, Tiberius, Caligula, and Agrippina, examining how dynastic politics, scandal, and propaganda shaped the early Roman Empire.
The book captures both the brutality and theatricality of imperial rule, showing how succession crises repeatedly tested Rome’s institutions.
3. Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World (2019)
9,610 ratings
Dominion argues that many values considered universal in the West – human rights, equality, humility – originate from Christian ideas. In it, Holland traces how the crucifixion of Christ reshaped notions of power and morality, influencing everything from abolition to feminism.
The book spans 2,000 years of cultural and intellectual history, connecting early Church fathers with modern activism in what Holland calls the “long shadow” of Christianity.
2. Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West (2005)
10,925 ratings
In Persian Fire, Holland recounts the Greco-Persian Wars, beginning with the rise of Cyrus the Great and ending with the defeat of Xerxes. He portrays Persia as the first true world empire and Athens as an underdog fighting for survival and identity.
The book blends military history with cultural analysis, showing how the East-West divide has roots in this ancient conflict. It won the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History in 2006.
1. Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic (2003)
24,572 ratings
Holland’s breakthrough work remains his most widely read – and arguably his most impactful. Rubicon chronicles the century that saw the Roman Republic collapse, covering the political careers and rivalries of Marius, Sulla, Cicero, Pompey, and Julius Caesar.
Online, reviewers praised Holland’s pace and clarity, with one writing: “This truly is popular history at its best – a breakneck ride through the tumultuous doings of the Roman Republic.”
Another reader noted: “It’s probably the most accessible and entertaining contemporary book written on the decline and final turbulent years of the Roman Republic.”