14. Halotus Killed a King And Became Rich
Roman Emperor Claudius had a eunuch servant named Halotus. His main duties were to test the emperor’s food for poison, and he also became a steward. When Claudius was killed, Halotus became one of the prime suspects in his death, because he had such close access to the emperor at all times, and he could have easily slipped poison into his food or drink. There was an investigation into his death, but there was not enough evidence to convict Halotus of Claudius’ murder.
Halotus looks even more suspicious after you consider that the next emperor, Galba, gave him the position of procurator. This was a very powerful financial position in the provinces, so he became a very wealthy man. There are a number of different reasons why Galba could have appointed Halotus to this position, but many historians believe that he would have done it to somehow benefit himself with the taxes and other financial affairs of Rome.
