Locusta: The World's First Serial Killer?

There is a mysterious, shadowy figure that hangs over a very specific period of the Roman Empire. Her details are often vague and, at times, contradictory. Some have questioned whether she existed at all, but there does seem to be enough scattered records to piece together a fragmented image of a woman named Locusta, often referred to as the world’s first serial killer.

Locusta’s life was deeply entwined with the scandalous intrigue and murderous plots of Ancient Rome’s imperial court. Her name was linked to various deaths—including those of Emperors—her chosen weapon: poison.

Though her exact birth date remains unknown, historical records from Roman chroniclers like Tacitus and Cassius Dio sketch a portrait of a woman who rose to infamy during the reigns of Emperors Claudius and Nero.

Little is known about Locusta’s early life, including her origins. She presumably came from Gaul (modern-day France) and later moved to Rome. Early in her life, Locusta developed a profound knowledge of botany and toxicology, skills she would later use with deadly effectiveness.

Ancient Rome, with its frequent political intrigues and betrayals, provided a fertile ground for someone of her unique talents. Poisoning, for those in the political arena, offered a discreet method of eliminating rivals and securing power. While the information on Locusta might be frustratingly scant, her story parallels a sordid period of the Roman Emperor that saw several mysterious deaths at the very top. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out.

The Unknown

Before we begin, it is worth pointing out that this tale has plenty of holes. It’s a series of murder mysteries that occurred more than 2000 years ago, with an apparent perpetrator we know very little about.

The name Locusta appears in contemporary text when she is an adult, so we know she didn’t grow up in the royal court. We believe she was born in the early first century AD—probably in the Roman province of Gaul—but her early years are a complete mystery.

However, we can add some background colour to this story using some established norms of the day. Locusta’s youth was likely marked by the harsh realities of the ancient world—survival in a time where the line between life and death was razor-thin.

Rome had crushed Gaul once and for all in 58 BC, so Locusta would have grown up several generations into a very different world. The worst of the warring was over, but life at this time remained unimaginably hard. It was in this ruthless environment that Locusta’s knowledge of herbs and poisons began to flourish, setting the stage for her future as a master poisoner.

The role of the woman during this period was narrow—very narrow. If you were one of the lucky few to be born into wealth, you were expected to enjoy the fruits of life but little else. For the vast majority of women, however, life was a hellish grind—a cycle of childbirth and relentless work.

As a young woman, Locusta’s path diverged sharply from the typical roles prescribed to women of her time. She did not remain confined to the domestic sphere; instead, she harnessed her knowledge of toxicology to carve out a unique and dangerous niche. We have absolutely no idea how this happened, but years later, the provincial girl from Gaul had arrived in the eternal city of Rome.

Choose Your Poison

Poisoning in ancient Rome was both an art and a dark reflection of the societal, political, and personal undercurrents of the time. With its frequent use to settle personal vendettas and conduct criminal activities, the use of poison became a significant aspect of Roman life.

The Roman fascination with poison began as an import from other cultures, mainly from Greece and the East, where poisons were used both as medicines and as lethal agents. As Rome expanded its empire, it absorbed not only the territories but also the darker arts practised within them, including the use of toxic substances for homicide.

The Romans had access to a variety of natural poisons. Among the most common were hemlock, aconite (also known as wolfsbane), and belladonna (deadly nightshade), each with its own deadly properties. Hemlock was famously used to execute the philosopher Socrates in Greece, and it also found its way into Roman practices.

Aconite was known for its quick action, causing asphyxiation and death, while belladonna could cause disorientation and hallucinations followed by death.

The Romans were adept chemists in their own right and developed sophisticated methods to administer these poisons. They knew that mixing different toxins could enhance their lethality or mask their presence in food and drink, making detection by the intended victim much more difficult.

In the viper’s nest of Roman politics, where power was prized above all else, poisoning became a common method for removing rivals and consolidating power. While sometimes speculative, historical records suggest that several emperors and political figures met their ends through poison.

The prevalence of poisoning led to social paranoia and fear, particularly among the elite, who were often the targets and perpetrators of poison plots. This fear spread throughout Roman society and is reflected in contemporary literature and historical accounts. Writers like Tacitus and Suetonius discuss poisoning as a common hazard of noble life, one that could only be avoided through extreme caution and, occasionally, the employment of food tasters.

In response to the rampant use of poisons, Roman law evolved to include specific statutes against poisoning. Under the Lex Cornelia de Sicariis et Veneficiis, enacted in the 1st century BC, the use of poison was a capital crime, equated legally with assassination. This law not only targeted those who used poison but also those who were involved in its manufacture and distribution.

Claudius’s Ascension to Power

The name Locusta first enters the public sphere during the reign of Claudius, who came to the throne in AD 41 under less than auspicious circumstances following the assassination of his nephew Caligula, a ruler marked by tyranny and madness. His ascent was almost accidental; the Praetorian Guard found him hiding behind a curtain in the palace during the chaos following Caligula’s death and proclaimed him Emperor, primarily because he was the last male adult of the Julian line available and perhaps perceived as a pliable figure who could be easily controlled.

Despite initial low expectations, Claudius proved to be a capable and reform-minded ruler. He embarked on numerous administrative reforms, expanded the empire’s boundaries, and initiated massive construction projects. However, Claudius’s physical disabilities and perceived intellectual slowness, a stark contrast to traditional Roman ideals of virility and eloquence, often made him the subject of elite scorn and underestimation. And then there was his wife.

Agrippina’s Rise to Power

If Locusta’s fingerprints were all over this story, the puppet master behind it all was Agrippina the Younger, Claudius’s niece and Caligula’s younger sister. Agrippina married Claudius in AD 49 after persuading him to change the laws that barred marriages between uncles and nieces. Her ambitions were clear from the outset; she aimed to consolidate her position within the imperial family and secure the future of her son, Nero, born from a previous marriage.

Agrippina was a woman of formidable intelligence and ruthless ambition. Once married to Claudius, she quickly began to exert her influence over him and the affairs of the state. She managed to have her son Nero adopted by Claudius, making him the heir apparent over Claudius’s own son, Britannicus. This move was a masterstroke in securing her power base, as it aligned Nero with the Julian line and made his pathway to the throne almost certain.

The Power Struggle

The marriage between Claudius and Agrippina was marked by continuous power struggles, with Agrippina often manipulating Claudius to remove rivals and consolidate her and her son’s positions. She had powerful allies eliminated or exiled, such as the commanders of the Praetorian Guard, who were replaced by individuals loyal to her. She also wielded her influence over senatorial appointments and legal matters, increasingly positioning herself as a central figure in governance, an unprecedented role for an empress.

Despite her successes, Agrippina’s relationship with Claudius began to sour as she grew more overt in her power grabs. Claudius, initially compliant, started to push back against his domineering wife. Historical sources, such as Tacitus, suggest that Claudius regretted adopting Nero and began to show renewed favour towards his biological son, Britannicus. Rumours began circulating in the imperial court that Claudius intended to make Britannicus his successor, threatening Agrippina’s ambitions.

The Murder of Claudius

Agrippina chose a drastic and murderous course as tensions rose within the imperial court. The year was 54 AD. Fearing her diminishing influence over Claudius and the rising prospects of Britannicus, Agrippina enlisted the shadowy Locusta to kill Claudius.

Ancient sources suggest that Claudius was poisoned. Though accounts vary in detail, they all converge on the involvement of Agrippina and Locusta. According to these sources, Claudius was given a dish of poisoned mushrooms, his favourite delicacy. When the initial dose did not immediately kill him, further poison was administered, allegedly via a feather used to induce vomiting. After a brief but intense illness, Claudius died on October 13, AD 54.

While we know nothing of Locusta’s specific involvement in other murders, it seems impossible to believe that such a task would be given to somebody without a healthy portfolio of successful kills. Sources refer to her as a ‘Master Poisoner,’ which would suggest she probably had a hand in quite a number of murders before turning her attention to the most powerful person on the planet.

Nero’s Ascension

Claudius’s death cleared the way for Nero to ascend to the throne. Nero’s rule began under the regency of his mother, Agrippina, who initially continued to wield substantial influence. However, Nero grew increasingly autonomous and resentful of his mother’s control, especially after he became involved with a noblewoman named Poppaea Sabina, who reportedly did her best to push son and mother apart.

Things got so bad that Nero had his mother killed—you couldn’t make all this up. How it happened is unclear. Some accounts speak of three failed poisoning attempts—perhaps with our dark shadow friend Locusta behind them—while others talk of an elaborate plot to sink a boat she was travelling in. Neither of these worked, and she was eventually executed at her home, with the killers doing their best to make it look like a suicide.

Nero’s Official Poisoner

With Nero’s protection, Locusta’s position solidified, and she effectively became the imperial court’s official poisoner. Her tasks were not limited to eliminating political adversaries but extended to conducting toxicological experiments to refine her knowledge and methods. Nero, obsessed with maintaining his grip on power and eliminating any threats, relied heavily on Locusta’s expertise.

As a reward for her loyal service, Nero granted Locusta vast estates and even referred aspiring poisoners to her for training, effectively establishing what could be seen as a school of poisoning. We don’t know much about this, but it does highlight the normalisation of criminal activities under Nero’s reign and the moral and ethical decay of the imperial court during this period.

The Murder of Britannicus

Nero became increasingly erratic, and for one boy, it was only a matter of time before the Emperor’s murderous gaze fell on him. The murder of Britannicus took place during a banquet on February 11, AD 55, just one day before he was to turn fourteen. The young prince’s death was sudden and unexpected, with ancient sources attributing it directly to Nero’s command. Tacitus provides a detailed account, suggesting that Nero employed Locusta to concoct a deadly toxin.

The first attempt to poison Britannicus reportedly failed when he detected the odd taste of his drink and refused to drink more. Under pressure from Nero, Locusta prepared a faster-acting poison that was then administered to Britannicus in another drink during a later banquet. Britannicus consumed the poison, and his death followed shortly thereafter, witnessed by guests reportedly stunned into silence.

Britannicus’s sudden death was officially attributed to an epileptic seizure, a condition he was known to have suffered from in his youth. However, contemporary and later historians largely agree that Nero was behind the boy’s demise. His death eliminated the last significant rival to Nero within the Claudian dynasty.

Britannicus’s death did not cause the immediate stir that might have been expected, largely due to the climate of fear that Nero had cultivated around himself. His demise allowed Nero to consolidate his power further, leading to a reign that would eventually be characterised by despotism, eccentricity, and the infamous persecution of Christians.

Nero’s Death & Locusta’s Execution

Locusta’s fortunes were inextricably linked to Nero’s, but things were beginning to slide out of control for the Emperor, who had just turned 30. A rebellion in Gaul raised serious questions over his leadership, while the Great Fire that tore through Rome in 64 AD decimated the city, with some even questioning whether Nero himself had caused it.

The walls were coming down around the Emperor. After a revolt in the senate, he fled to a country villa where he either took his own life or asked his private secretary, Epaphroditus, to kill him—depending on the source you choose to believe.

After Nero’s death in AD 68, which marked the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the subsequent rulers sought to restore order and justice to a scarred Rome. Under Emperor Galba, who briefly ruled after Nero, Locusta was arrested as part of a broader campaign to rid Rome of Nero’s sinister influence.

Locusta was executed in AD 69, her death marking an end to one of the most notorious figures in Roman history. The historical record on Locusta, while admittedly sparse and coloured by the bias of Roman historians who viewed her with contempt, does paint a damning picture of the dark underbelly of Roman imperial politics. Her life story was a dramatic tale of rise and fall, that saw her bloody fingerprints all over a period that saw glorious Rome slump under the weight of several appalling figures.

Today, we refer to Locusta as potentially the world’s first serial killer. Of course, there’s no way to substantiate this, and in all likelihood, others came before her, but it’s clear that she played a significant role in not only the murderous intrigue that swept through the imperial court but also far beyond. How many deaths was she behind? We’ll almost certainly never know. How accurate is this label as Master Poisoner to Rich and Famous? Again, it’s difficult to say—but it does make for a good story.

This period saw the corruption and excesses of the Roman Empire’s leadership reach new heights, and Locusta has become a symbol of this rot—a shadowy figure that killed—maybe—untold numbers.

Key Takeaways

• Locusta, known as the world’s first serial killer, was a master poisoner in ancient Rome.
• She was involved in the murders of Emperors Claudius and Britannicus, as well as other political figures.
• Locusta’s rise to infamy occurred during the reigns of Claudius and Nero, amidst political intrigue and power struggles.
• Her expertise in toxicology allowed her to eliminate rivals discreetly, contributing to the dark underbelly of Roman imperial politics.
• Locusta was executed in AD 69, marking the end of her notorious career as a poisoner in the Roman Empire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Locusta?

Locusta was a woman from Gaul (modern-day France) who moved to Rome and became infamous for her role as a master poisoner during the reigns of Emperors Claudius and Nero.

What was Locusta’s role in Roman politics?

Locusta was involved in various political intrigues and murders, using her knowledge of poisons to eliminate rivals and secure power for those she served, notably Agrippina the Younger and Emperor Nero.

How did Locusta become involved in the murder of Emperor Claudius?

Agrippina the Younger, Claudius’s wife, enlisted Locusta to poison Claudius with a dish of poisoned mushrooms when she feared her influence over him was waning and Britannicus was favored as the successor.

What was Locusta’s relationship with Emperor Nero?

Nero protected Locusta and made her the imperial court’s official poisoner. She conducted toxicological experiments and trained others in the art of poisoning, solidifying her role in Nero’s reign of terror.

How did Locusta contribute to the murder of Britannicus?

Nero commanded Locusta to concoct a deadly toxin to eliminate Britannicus, his rival. After an initial failed attempt, Locusta prepared a faster-acting poison that was administered to Britannicus during a banquet, leading to his death.

What happened to Locusta after Nero’s death?

After Nero’s death in AD 68, Locusta was arrested and executed in AD 69 under Emperor Galba as part of a campaign to rid Rome of Nero’s sinister influence.

What poisons were commonly used in ancient Rome?

Common poisons in ancient Rome included hemlock, aconite (wolfsbane), and belladonna (deadly nightshade). These toxins were used for both medicinal and lethal purposes.

How did Roman law address the use of poison?

The Lex Cornelia de Sicariis et Veneficiis, enacted in the 1st century BC, made the use of poison a capital crime, equating it legally with assassination. This law targeted both users and those involved in the manufacture and distribution of poisons.

What was Agrippina the Younger’s role in Roman politics?

Agrippina the Younger was Claudius’s niece and wife, who manipulated him to secure power for her son, Nero. She was a formidable figure who exerted significant influence over Claudius and the imperial court.

How did Locusta’s early life influence her career as a poisoner?

Locusta’s early life in Gaul was marked by harsh realities and survival in a ruthless environment. She developed a profound knowledge of botany and toxicology, which she later used with deadly effectiveness in Rome.

Sources

• Original Into the Shadows video: Locusta: The World’s First Serial Killer?
• Hero image source by User:Otourly / openverse, by-sa.

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