Roman Empire: History's First Serial Killer

Roman Empire: History's First Serial Killer

Author: Shane L. Waters, Wendy Cee, Gemma Hoskins June 5, 2025 Duration: 21:52
In the shadowy corners of the Roman Empire, Locusta perfected the deadly art of murder. Known as history's first serial killer, her story marks the chilling beginning of one of history's deadliest professions. Season 36 of Foul Play delves into serial killers from across eras, unveiling the notorious figures whose dark actions shaped history. Locusta was a cunning woman of ancient Rome, skilled in herbalism and potions. Before she became infamous, she was a resourceful survivor in a ruthless world where power and ambition knew no morals. Her talent for creating poisons made her sought after by Rome's elite, shaping her destiny in a society infamous for its treachery. This episode matters because it highlights the intersection of historical events and individual malice, offering insights into how the power dynamics of the Roman Empire could allow such a figure to thrive. Understanding Locusta’s story provides a window into ancient economics, politics, and crime, echoing themes still relevant today. Locusta's career began as court intrigues opened doors for her lethal skills. Rumored to have been involved in multiple political assassinations, including the infamous poisoning of Emperor Claudius, she became an unwitting icon in the grim saga of serial killers. Despite her capture and execution, her legend casts a long shadow, illustrating the Roman Empire's complex morality. During the Roman Empire, a period known for its technological advances and philosophical progress was paradoxically also a time of brutal power plays and political assassinations. Locusta operated in an era when a myriad of political factions vied for control, utilizing subterfuge as much as swords. In this episode, listeners will uncover how Locusta rose from obscurity to notoriety. We will explore the paths by which she avoided detection and thrived in a world teetering on the knife-edge of political chaos. Foul Play’s immersive storytelling brings her life—and her era’s dark underbelly—to vivid life. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Mood and use my code SHANE for a great deal: https://mood.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Step back into an era of flickering gaslight and whispered secrets, where justice was often as murky as the London fog or as stark as a frontier town’s saloon. Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast exhumes long-forgotten criminal cases from the 1800s and early 1900s, meticulously piecing together stories that newspapers sensationalized and time nearly erased. Hosts Shane Waters, a veteran whose work helped shape the genre, and Wendy Cee, alongside researcher Gemma Hoskins, guide you through each meticulously researched season. They focus on a single, complete narrative, building the tension from the crime itself through the investigation and into the courtroom’s hushed drama. You’ll hear more than just the facts; you’ll get a sense of the societal pressures, the legal limitations, and the human lives entangled in each historical moment. This isn't about quick summaries-it's a deep, immersive audio experience that treats the past with the gravity it deserves. The podcast connects the dots using original documents, period accounts, and a clear-eyed analysis that separates legend from truth. It’s for anyone who wonders about the real stories lurking in the shadows of history, told with a journalist’s precision and a storyteller’s care for the victims and the complexities of their times. Listen to Foul Play for a compelling journey where every clue matters and history itself is the most important character.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Ohio & Washington: Justice Buried for a Century [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:43
Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of gun violence, intimate partner violence, poisoning, and discussions of coercive control in same-sex and heterosexual relationships. Crisis resources are listed at th…
Idaho & Alaska: Gold Fever and the Men Who Killed for It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
Billy Wimbish - was born around 1859. A Black man who made his life in the Alaska Interior, Wimbish earnedrespect among the miners of the Fairbanks district. In 1906, he served as lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against mine…
Maryland & Indiana: Forbidden Desires, 1878-1889 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of gun violence, intimate partner violence, poisoning, and discussions of coercive control in same-sex and heterosexual relationships. Crisis resources are listed at th…
S39E05 - Four Suspects, No Justice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:11
Content WarningThis episode contains discussions of murder, suicide, and Victorian scandal. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 39 Finale: The Balham Mystery. The jury deliberated fo…
S39E04 - The Longest Inquest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:34
Content WarningThis episode contains discussions of adultery, abortion, and Victorian scandal. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 39: The Balham Mystery. For twenty-three days, the…
S39E03 - Three Days of Dying [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:40
Content WarningThis episode contains detailed descriptions of poisoning and prolonged death. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 39: The Balham Mystery. For seventy-two hours, Charle…
Balham: The Fatal Night at The Priory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:10
Content WarningThis episode contains discussions of poisoning and death. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 39: The Balham Mystery. April 1876—a young barrister collapses in agony m…
Balham, London: The Priory Poisoning Mystery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:31
Content WarningThis episode contains discussions of domestic abuse, poisoning, and death. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 39: The Balham Mystery. April 1876—a successful barriste…
London: A Murder Verdict in Victorian Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:16
A Victorian courtroom drama unfolds as a chilling murder verdict is delivered in 19th-century London, a place of evolving laws and societal norms. This episode, nestled in the heart of Season 38's exploration of 'The Rug…
New York: The Doctor's Care [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:52
Enter 'The Doctor's Care' in New York—a chilling glimpse into the remaining shadows of the Rugeley Poisoner series, Part 2. This four-part narrative dissects the devious manipulations of Dr. William Palmer, a man whose a…