Although H. H. Holmes and Jack the Ripper are often regarded as the first serial killers, there were other individuals just as cruel. These six historical serial killers were all active prior to the 17th century.
In Greek mythology, Procrustes lived in an estate located in Attica, Greece. He would often invite people to stay at his place and provide them with an iron bed. Then, Procrustes would stretch or amputate the traveler to the bed’s length, killing them. The murders of Procrustes eventually ended when Theseus, a mythical Greek god, used his own method against him. However, historians still debate Procrustes existence.
The all-female roman poison ring
In 331 BC, nearly two hundred Roman women were charged with mass poisoning after the death of many of the “principal persons of the state.” Initially thought to be a plague, an investigation discovered it to be poison! The investigation revealed that the victims were linked to an all-women matrons group, including two prominent women named Cornelia and Sergia. The women claimed they were giving the men medicine. But, ironically, when prompted to drink their own concoctions to prove their innocence, they drank the poison and perished by their own wicked practices. Their servants were interrogated, and they named many other women who were subsequently condemned.
The nephew of Emperor Jing, Liu Pengli, was the Prince of Jidong around the year 144 BCE. He is the first known serial killer to be recorded in history, who started his reign of terror in the 2nd century BC and lasted two decades. He traveled with a group of about 10-30 criminals, slaves, and young men, where he would kill and steal people’s belongings for sheer sport. He had over a hundred confirmed victims, and many more would have been possible if one of his victims’ sons had not alerted the Emperor. The court decided to execute him. However, he was exiled from the kingdom, stripped of his title, and made a commoner by the Emperor, his uncle.
Locusta of Gaul: Master of Poisons
One of the most skilled women in the Roman Empire during the first century was known as Locusta, who was known for her ability to make poisons. She was able to give people fatal heart attacks through her skills in herbs and botany.
It’s widely believed that she was involved in the assassinations of Britannicus and Claudius, operating under Nero’a reign over 1900 year’s ago. It is unknown how many people she killed, but her spree lasted as long as Nero was emperor. After Nero’s suicide, Locusta was captured and eventually executed.
Queen Anula of Anuradhapura – A Reign Born of Poison
Queen Anula was a historically significant serial killer who ruled Sri Lanka from 47 BC to 42 BC. She is known for being the first woman to hold the title of the queen in the country’s history. She is also regarded for her achievements, such as being Asia’s first female head of state. During her reign, she had multiple affairs, poisoning, and murders. In total, she killed all 4 of her husbands, as well as her son. The pattern went: have an affair, kill your current husband and marry the new man, then fall in love with someone else, and kill the current husband, and so on. Her poisoning saga ended when she was overthrown by Kutakanna Tissa, who had Anula burned alive on a funeral pyre.
Gilles de Rais: Not a Knight in Shining
During the 15th century, a French nobleman named Gilles de Rais was a knight and a nobleman. He had notable achievements, such as being able to fight alongside Joan of Arc. However, after he left the military, he started experimenting with magic and the occult to summon a demon to get rich. In addition, Gilles took a liking to children and derived pleasure from torturing, raping, and eventually killing them.
He confessed to being a child serial killer; his victim count is over 140 children in nearly a decade. He was eventually caught, and he and his accomplice were executed by hanging when hundreds of parents of the deceased children testified against him in 1440.
Peter Stumpp: The Self Proclaimed Werewolf.
During the 16th century, during the frenzy of the supernatural phenomenon known as the Werewolf, Peter Stump claimed to have been given the gift of being a wolf by the Devil. Even though he wasn’t a real wolf, he was still considered a monster. Due to his cannibalistic tendencies, he was able to kill 14 children, including his son. He also murdered two pregnant women. In addition, he presumably had an incestuous relationship with his daughter.
The state found him guilty following his arrest on October 28, 1589. His execution was as gruesome as any of the crimes of which he was accused: his body was strapped spread-eagle on a giant wheel, with red-hot pincers, his executioners pulled his flesh from his bones in ten spots; his arms and legs were broken with a large axe; his head was cut off.
