Georgia Hardstark

We don't know about all the poisons Locusta uses, unfortunately. Those are secrets now. But records show that she used belladonna or deadly nightshade, as well as arsenic and a litany of other poisons. I think you'd have to imagine Sally from The Night Before Christmas. You know what I mean? Yeah. Just a skinny, pale girl that's like, I like to combine things. Little of this.

And it sounds like she also knows how to create new poisons from different combinations. So she's fucking smart.

And it sounds like she also knows how to create new poisons from different combinations. So she's fucking smart.

They don't make it themselves. I just realized that. Yeah. Poisoners. Yeah. So by this point, we're on Rome's fourth emperor, Claudius. Augustus, the first emperor, had essentially consolidated power and set Rome on this path to growth and conquest. And then there were two other emperors until Claudius.

They don't make it themselves. I just realized that. Yeah. Poisoners. Yeah. So by this point, we're on Rome's fourth emperor, Claudius. Augustus, the first emperor, had essentially consolidated power and set Rome on this path to growth and conquest. And then there were two other emperors until Claudius.

Claudius marries his niece, a woman named Agrippina, who had already been married, like, oh, my God, drama, and whose first husband had died, possibly by poisoning. Agrippina has a son from that previous marriage, his name Agrippina. Do you want to try to guess? Yeah. You don't have to. No pressure. Does it start with an L?

Claudius marries his niece, a woman named Agrippina, who had already been married, like, oh, my God, drama, and whose first husband had died, possibly by poisoning. Agrippina has a son from that previous marriage, his name Agrippina. Do you want to try to guess? Yeah. You don't have to. No pressure. Does it start with an L?

You're going to know the name. And so you're going to think, I wish I had known. Oh. Nero. Oh, yeah. Okay. So Nero obviously doesn't really have a particularly strong claim to the Roman throne because he's the son of the second wife. You know what I mean? Yeah. But Agrippina is like, but let's change that. I'm the new wife, or I'm the wife. Let me figure this out.

You're going to know the name. And so you're going to think, I wish I had known. Oh. Nero. Oh, yeah. Okay. So Nero obviously doesn't really have a particularly strong claim to the Roman throne because he's the son of the second wife. You know what I mean? Yeah. But Agrippina is like, but let's change that. I'm the new wife, or I'm the wife. Let me figure this out.

Agrippina convinces Claudius to change his will, making her son Nero the heir to the throne. This is in spite of Claudius having a biological son. And after Claudius changes his will, Agrippina wants to make sure that he doesn't have time in life to change it back. You know what I'm saying? So she turns to Locusta, who by this time is well known among Roman elites.

Agrippina convinces Claudius to change his will, making her son Nero the heir to the throne. This is in spite of Claudius having a biological son. And after Claudius changes his will, Agrippina wants to make sure that he doesn't have time in life to change it back. You know what I'm saying? So she turns to Locusta, who by this time is well known among Roman elites.

Agrippina and Locusta wait for a day when Claudius's most loyal servant has the day off. They had days off back then. That's nice. They poison a dish of mushrooms, which is Claudius's favorite food. And it's unclear if the mushrooms themselves are poisonous or if she applies poison to the mushrooms. We don't know how she sauteed and sautéed.

Agrippina and Locusta wait for a day when Claudius's most loyal servant has the day off. They had days off back then. That's nice. They poison a dish of mushrooms, which is Claudius's favorite food. And it's unclear if the mushrooms themselves are poisonous or if she applies poison to the mushrooms. We don't know how she sauteed and sautéed.

Other people say he was actually poisoned by belladonna brewed into a tea. Regardless, the story goes that Claudius gets sick. His doctor comes to see him. And I don't know why every single doctor who went to see any patient ever back then wasn't first like, you're being poisoned.

Other people say he was actually poisoned by belladonna brewed into a tea. Regardless, the story goes that Claudius gets sick. His doctor comes to see him. And I don't know why every single doctor who went to see any patient ever back then wasn't first like, you're being poisoned.

Right.

Right.

Like kind of should be number one. Number two is like gout or whatever. You know, I don't know. What did they get? The doctor gives Claudius a feather to stick down his throat to induce vomiting. That's doctors then. I mean, that's it also. But that's how they did it in the vomitorium. Right, right, right. But the feather has been coated in more poison.

Like kind of should be number one. Number two is like gout or whatever. You know, I don't know. What did they get? The doctor gives Claudius a feather to stick down his throat to induce vomiting. That's doctors then. I mean, that's it also. But that's how they did it in the vomitorium. Right, right, right. But the feather has been coated in more poison.

And we don't know if Agrippina did this or if the doctor was involved. However... They're locking it down.