12 October AD 54
Claudius poisoned, Nero emperor

Previous event | Timeline | Next event

After marrying his niece Agrippina in AD 49, Claudius formally adopts Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, her son by a previous marriage. While the young man, who is to become better known as the emperor Nero, may play no direct part in Claudius's death, his mother certainly does. In October AD 54, Agrippina has Claudius poisoned with a potent substance sprinkled on to mushrooms. Nero is later quoted as declaring 'mushrooms to be the food of the gods, since Claudius by means of the mushroom [has] become a god'.

Top