CLASSIC: The Ridiculous Story of the World’s First (Documented) Serial Killer

Ridiculous History

iHeartPodcasts

History, Society & Culture

4.3 • 4.4K Ratings

🗓️ 12 July 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Locusta of Gaul, also known as Locusta The Poisoner, was one of the most infamous criminals of ancient times. Alternately sponsored and betrayed by the noble class, she committed crimes with impunity for years — even, at one point, opening an academy to teach her poisoning skills to others. Tune in to learn more about the rise and fall of what may well be the world’s first documented serial killer.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Fellow ridiculous historians, we are back with a classic, and this is a really weird one for us.
0:08.2	We started looking into, Noel, I think it began because we were looking into the history of serial killers,
0:14.8	and we found a story of someone who is often alleged to be the world's first documented murderer of this type.
0:24.9	This doesn't sound ridiculous.
0:26.0	This sounds disturbing and upsetting.
0:27.6	Right.
0:28.1	I'm sure we handle it with wit and charm, though.
0:31.1	Oh, boy.
0:31.8	Our discussion of La Costa of Gaul.
0:34.7	We're talking about, if I'm not mistaken, wasn't that like the region that became France?
0:39.5	Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:40.5	Cool, cool, cool.
0:42.7	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:47.1	Open AI is a financial abomination, a thing that should not be, an aberration, a symbol of rot at the heart of Silicon Valley.
0:54.3	And I'm going to tell you why on my show, Offline, the rudest show in the tech industry,
0:58.4	where we're breaking down why Open AI, along with other AI companies, are dead set on lying to your boss that they can take your job.
1:05.0	I'm also going to be talking with the greatest minds in the industry about all the other ways the rich and powerful are ruining the computer. Listen to Better Offline on the IHot Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you happen to get your podcasts.
1:18.3	Welcome to Pretty Private with Ebeney, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free.
1:25.3	I'm Ebeney, and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions
1:31.2	and give you new insight on the people around you.
1:35.0	Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect Podcast Network.
1:40.2	Tune in on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
	...

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