×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Thursday
15
Jan 2026
weather symbol
Athens 9°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Culture

11 Very strange deaths from history

Interesting details of history

Newsroom November 30 10:00

We all die eventually, but some of us go out in weirder ways than others. With the number of people who have existed throughout human history, at least a few strange deaths are to be expected. Below, we compiled a list of some of the most bizarre deaths ever recorded in ancient history.

1. Sir William Payne-Gallwey: Death by Turnip

Sir William Payne-Gallwey was a British Member of Parliament in the late 19th century. Sir William, like many other British MPs, loved to go hunting throughout the year. On one unfortunate hunting trip, Sir William crossed through a  turnip field, where he fell and sustained significant internal injury from one particularly large turnip. He died of his injuries just a few days later.

2. Zeuxis: Death by Laughter

Laughing is all fun and games – until it kills you. Zeuxis, a Greek painter in the 5th century BC, had his last laugh after observing his own painting of  Aphrodite. Allegedly, an elderly woman had commissioned the painting for her home, but decided to model for it herself. After the painting of this elderly woman as Aphrodite was completed, Zeuxis observed his work and laughed so hard that he died.

See Also:

World’s 1st hydrogen-powered jet engine seeks turning point for aviation industry

>Related articles

FBI searches the home of a Washington Post journalist who covered the Trump administration’s firing of federal employees

Countdown to a U.S. strike on Iran: Americans and Britons evacuate bases, direct assassination threat against Trump from Tehran – Live

Direct assassination threat against Trump from Iran: “This time the bullet will not miss the target”

3. Draco of Athens: Death by Gift Suffocation

In 620 BC, theatergoers in Aegina, Greece accidentally killed a man with their affection. Draco of Athens , an ancient lawmaker, was so loved by the Aeginian citizens that they showered him with gifts of appreciation. The citizens threw so many items on him that he ended up smothered by them, suffocated to death by the gifts of his admirers.

Read more: Ancient Origins

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#culture#deaths#history#world
> More Culture

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Mitsotakis’ meeting with farmers: Blockades may ease after announced measures

January 15, 2026

Profile of the “businessman” arrested with weapons in Paleo Faliro: A criminal past of extortion, tax evasion, and robbery

January 15, 2026

What a new US operation against Iran would involve: the weapons and possible targets

January 15, 2026

FBI searches the home of a Washington Post journalist who covered the Trump administration’s firing of federal employees

January 14, 2026

RealPolls: New Democracy above its European election result, Plefsi returns to second place – With a change of leader ND loses nearly two points, PASOK gains 5.5

January 14, 2026

Countdown to a U.S. strike on Iran: Americans and Britons evacuate bases, direct assassination threat against Trump from Tehran – Live

January 14, 2026

Direct assassination threat against Trump from Iran: “This time the bullet will not miss the target”

January 14, 2026

32 dead after a crane falls on a passenger train in Thailand

January 14, 2026
All News

> Greece

Profile of the “businessman” arrested with weapons in Paleo Faliro: A criminal past of extortion, tax evasion, and robbery

In 1997 his first meeting with the authorities, in September 2024 the last one

January 15, 2026

Meeting between Mitsotakis and the “agro-leaders” of the blockades set for Friday

January 14, 2026

Taxi strike to continue on Thursday, convoy planned toward the Maximos Mansion

January 14, 2026

Armed robbery in Thessaloniki with gunfire at a pawn shop

January 14, 2026

The frigate “Kimon” en route to the Salamis Naval Base – Watch the video

January 14, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα