Serial Killers in Ancient Rome
Summary
This episode explores the often-overlooked history of serial murder in ancient Rome, examining cases from the late Republic to the Imperial era. It details the 331 BCE poisoning conspiracy by Roman matrons and the career of Locusta, a professional poisoner who killed Emperor Claudius and Britannicus for Nero. The discussion also covers the mass killings and sadistic reigns of emperors Caligula, Nero, and Commodus. Finally, it analyzes how Roman law and society reacted to these crimes, interpreting them through cultural lenses of madness, divine curse, or political tyranny rather than modern…
Topics discussed
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The 331 BC Poisoning Conspiracy
Roman views on serial murder
Episode overview and sources
Introduction and channel support
Roman legal categories for murder
Gendered perspectives on poisoning
Conceptualizing serial killers in Rome
Hostilia and the poisoning of consuls
Hostilia's political motive
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Other early poisoning cases
Lex Cornelia de Sicariis et Veneficis
Punishments for serial poisoners
Livia Drusilla's alleged crimes
Martina and the death of Germanicus
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Introduction to Locusta
The poisoning of Emperor Claudius
Nero's ascension and Locusta's reward
The murder of Britannicus
Nero beats Locusta for weak poison
Testing the new poison on animals
Britannicus's death and burial
Nero's school of poisoning
Nero's suicide and Locusta's fate
Locusta's legacy and victim count
Locusta in Roman literature
Other Roman poisoners
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Imperial serial killers introduction
Caligula's descent into madness
Caligula's whimsical murders
Caligula's specific victims
Caligula's executions for trivial reasons
The net fighter massacre
Caligula's sexual violence and body count
Caligula's cultural memory
Nero's evolution as a killer
The murder of Agrippina
Nero's reaction to his mother's death
The deaths of Octavia and Poppea
Nero's purge of critics
Nero's performative cruelty
Nero's posthumous reputation
Nero and the Antichrist legend
Nero's enduring fascination
Introduction to Commodus
Commodus as a gladiator
Commodus's arena killings
Commodus's execution of senators
The execution of Lucilla
Commodus's terror and laughter
The assassination of Commodus
Commodus's posthumous treatment
Commodus's historical legacy
Roman law and serial killers
Legal refinements for repeat offenders
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Mass trials and social hysteria
Serial murder as supernatural omen
Societal impact of imperial killings
Methods of execution for killers
Literary tales of serial wives
Spectacle and desensitization to violence
Conclusion and modern relevance
Outro and viewer thanks
Patron shoutouts
Final sign-off
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