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7 Mysterious Ancient True Crime Cases That Were Actually Solved

By Arianna Winslow
From TheTravel

7 Mysterious Ancient True Crime Cases That Were Actually Solved

In the 2020s, true crime is more popular than ever. Tantalizing tales about grizzly murders, horrible violence, and disappearances have become hit stories for streaming services and YouTubers alike.

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People seem to have a thirst for the darkest true crime spots and stories in the world, with many curious people constantly seeking the best places for true crime enthusiasts to visit in the United States and beyond to learn all about the horrific stories.

However, an untapped market for true crime stories is ancient/prehistoric history. Even though a lot of these true crime stories from ancient times have not been solved yet, some actually have! In this list, you'll discover several incredible true crime stories from ancient times that have an answer to their mysteries.

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7 The Assassination Of Aristobulus III

No one was safe in Herod the Great's court

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Herod the Great, the Roman client king of Judaea who built Israel's Caesarea Maritima, deserves a place on any list of ancient true crime stories. Practically all of Herod's life, true crime events went on around him...and were being caused by him.

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Not only did Herod execute his own wife (Mariamne I), but also had several of his sons executed, too (Aristobulus IV, Alexander, and Antipater). However, in this instance, one particular case of ancient true crime will be the focus: the execution of Aristobulus III.

In 36 BCE, the mother of Herod's then-wife, Mariamne I, hatched an ingenious plot to bring even more power to her family than she already had. She appealed to Cleopatra of Egypt, encouraging her to pressure Herod into making her son, Aristobulus, the High Priest. Aristobulus III, only 17 at the time, was highly beloved by the people. With such an important political figure backing him, Herod had no choice but to give in to this request and make Aristobulus the High Priest.

Herod wasn't happy with this arrangement, though, and feared the growing influence of Aristobulus and his mother. This, paired with his new position, caused Herod to continuously spy on the two. Fearing for their safety, they sought to flee to be with Cleopatra and Mark Antony.

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Hearing of their plans, Herod realized that Cleopatra and Antony might decide that Aristobulus would make a better king and thus replace him. In order to prevent this, Herod resorted to an age-old tactic: murder. As Aristobulus bathed in a swimming pool during a banquet, Herod had him drowned.

In the aftermath of this incident, the previous High Priest was put back in power. For the rest of Herod's family, the days of Herod killing those close to him had just begun.

Date:

35 BCE

What happened:

Herod had his brother-in-law (the High Priest) drowned

Aftermath:

The previous High Priest was restored to power

6 The Execution Of Caesarion

Cleopatra's eldest child met his end at the hands of his mother's primary enemy, Augustus

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The famous last ruler of Egypt, Cleopatra (whose tomb was recently "discovered," only for archaeologists to realize it wasn't actually hers), had several children during her life. These were Caesarion (with Julius Caesar, supposedly), twins Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios (with Mark Antony), and Ptolemy Philadelphus (also with Mark Antony).

Out of all these children, though, only Cleopatra Selene seems to have survived into adulthood. Historians still don't know what happened to Alexander Helios and Ptolemy Philadelphus after their mother's death, but they do know what happened to Caesarion.

Called a god, a son of a god, and a King of Kings, Caesarion was primed to take his mother's throne upon her death. After Augustus' invasion of Egypt in 30 BCE in the wake of Cleopatra and Antony's defeat at the Battle of Actium months prior, Cleopatra sent Caesarion away for safety. The plan was for him to flee to India by way of the Red Sea, carrying with him plenty of treasure that would ensure a comfortable life.

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Just 17, Caesarion would have then spent his adult life in exile. That was not to be his fate, however. After his mother's death, Augustus invited Caesarion to return and become the client king of Egypt on Rome's behalf. Caesarion agreed and returned. However, when he did, Augustus' mind changed, and he had him executed.

Date:

29 August, 30 BCE

What happened:

Cleopatra's eldest child was executed by Augustus at the age of 17

Aftermath:

Egypt became a province of Rome

5 The Assassination Of Julius Caesar

The most famous assassination in history is also a chilling case of Ancient Roman true crime

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Perhaps the most famous true crime incident in history was the assassination of Julius Caesar. On the Ides of March, 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was riding high -- or so he thought. After being declared dictator for life and surrounded by adoring supporters, Caesar was ready for a future of ruling Rome. Unfortunately for him, this would be a future that would immediately be cut short.

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After entering the Theater of Pompey (where the senate was meeting), Caesar began to hear petitions from the crowd. Before he knew it, knives were coming out from beneath togas. He was subsequently stabbed to death by senators who wanted to prevent him from becoming a king.

Today, tourists can visit the site of this grizzly ancient murder at the Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome .

Date:

March 15, 44 BCE

What happened:

Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by senators who wanted to protect the Republic

Aftermath:

Julius Caesar died from stab wounds

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4 The Assassination Of Caligula

Rome's mad emperor, Caligula, was himself the subject of an ancient true crime case in 41 CE

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Caligula, one of Rome's mad emperors whose garden in Rome was just uncovered, is known for his paramount cruelty and constant tormenting of those in the Roman upper classes. However, he himself was subjected to a stunning true crime event that rocked the Ancient World.

In January of 41 CE, Caligula was lured into a secluded corridor and murdered by his own personal guard (the Praetorians). After suffering his abuse, the tables were then turned on Rome's mad emperor.

Sadly, it wasn't just Caligula who the Praetorians had their sights on; Caligula's wife and young daughter were also on the chopping block. Both were executed to prevent Caligula's line from continuing.

Date:

41 CE

What happened:

Caligula and his family were murdered during a political coup

Aftermath:

Caligula's paternal uncle, Claudius, became emperor

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3 The Roman Emperor Nero Had His Own Mother Assassinated

This case of true crime from the Roman Empire shows that in imperial politics, no one is safe.

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Pretty much everyone is familiar with Nero. Often considered to be one of the worst Roman emperors, Nero is hated for many reasons, from his persecution of Christians to his poor policies to his cruel personality. All of these things are bad enough, but did you know that he had his own mother assassinated?

In 59 CE, Nero's mother, Agrippina the Younger, was sailing on a boat when its ceiling collapsed, causing the vessel to sink. Shipwrecks happened all the time in the Ancient World, so this wouldn't have been uncommon. But Agrippina had been the target of many assassination attempts previously, from poisoning to dropping ceiling tiles on her while she slept, so she was on guard.

Her ship falling apart wasn't a coincidence; her own son, the emperor of Rome, wanted to kill her. After escaping the capsized boat, she swam to shore and returned to her villa. The next day, Nero sent several of his men to kill her and make it appear as though she had committed suicide.

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It's unclear why Nero wanted to have his mother assassinated, but historians theorize that it's likely due to her over-involvement in his personal and political life.

Date:

59 CE

What happened:

Nero tried to have his own mother assassinated by causing her boat to collapse

Aftermath:

Agrippina survived, but Nero had her killed anyway

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2 The Case Of The Sacred Chickens

Several chickens were thrown overboard a ship in this somewhat hilarious true crime case of Ancient Roman blasphemy

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This true crime incident, occurring during the First Punic War, isn't a case of homicide, but rather one of animal cruelty and religious blasphemy. In 249 BCE, the Romans were about to fight a naval battle against the Carthaginians under Adherbal. Commanded by Publius Claudius Pulcher, a politician and military man, the Romans were blockading the city of Lilybaeum in Sicily.

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Pulcher had a plan; he would attack the Carthaginian fleet in a stealthy surprise during the night. Although this plan seemed excellent, he couldn't go through with it before the sacred chickens were consulted. In Ancient Rome, the religious practice of augury (foretelling the future through the actions of birds) was very important in seeing the outcomes of battles.

Before a battle, the sacred chickens were consulted by throwing down feed for them. If they ate, the battle would be victorious. If they didn't, the battle would be lost. So when Pulcher had the chickens fed, they refused to eat, even though he felt his plan was foolproof. In a fit, Pulcher took the chickens and tossed them overboard.

He exclaimed:

"Quia edere nolunt, bibent!" This means "If they don't want to eat, then they'll drink!"

The battle was subsequently lost.

When he returned to Rome, he was put on trial. His religious blasphemy (committed by throwing the chickens overboard) had angered many people, plus the fact that he had lost the battle didn't help his case. The charges brought before him were incompetence and impiety.

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Unfortunately for the people of Rome, bad weather caused the trial to be canceled when the entire Roman Forum flooded. Double jeopardy laws prevented him from being tried again, and thus, Pulcher was off the hook for the killing of the sacred chickens. He did receive a fine of 120,000 asses (about 12,000 denarii) and then disappeared from history afterward.

Date:

249 BCE

What happened:

A Roman commander threw the sacred chickens overboard when they predicted a future he didn't like

Aftermath:

He was put on trial for the chicken murder but got off the hook when the Roman Forum flooded

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1 The Tales Of Jugurtha's Bribery

Jugurtha, the king of Numidia, used his wealth to bribe the Roman officials involved in his own bribery trial

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In Roman history, perhaps some of the most interesting crimes came from the Numidian king, Jugurtha. In the 110s BCE, the Romans became involved in an inheritance struggle between the heirs of the recently deceased king of Numidia, Micipsa. In order to receive preferential treatment, one of these heirs, Jugurtha, bribed the Roman officials adjudicating the case.

Although Jugurtha got the lion's share of the inheritance, he still felt the need to wage war with his fellow heir, Adherbal. After he killed Adherbal as part of this war, he was called to Rome to answer for the crimes of bribery and murder.

When he got to Rome, a shocking twist happened. He committed both of these offenses again! Before his trial, he bribed a tribune, who then used his veto power to prevent relevant evidence from being presented. After that, Jugurtha paid to have a relative of his living in Rome assassinated. He is reported to have said that Rome was "a city for sale and doomed to quick destruction if it should find a buyer."

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Date:

~112 BCE

What happened:

A Numidian king bribed his way out of his bribery trial

Aftermath:

Jugurtha was off the hook for the bribery charges but eventually faced a war with Rome that proved destructive for him

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