×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Thursday
06
Aug 2026
weather symbol
Athens 32°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

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

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

Google AI leadership shake-up: Demis Hassabis becomes President as top scientist departs

Mitsotakis and Egypt’s President El-Sisi hold phone call as Egypt offers wildfire assistance

According to NASA, a piece of a SpaceX rocket is on a collision course with the Moon—what is the risk to Earth?

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

Nicole Kidman, Zoe Saldaña and Katy Perry enjoy a Mykonos getaway

August 6, 2026

Renowned Greek singer Dimitris Xanthakis dies

August 6, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo shows off his luxury car fleet: “My toys,” he says of his Ferraris, McLarens, Mercedes and Bugattis

August 6, 2026

Why smugglers target Mediterranean coral: Greek authorities seize 800,000 euro red coral haul bound for Italy

August 6, 2026

Mystras: Lawyer says financial gain was not the motive for man who kept his dead father in a freezer

August 6, 2026

Video: The Sun as we’ve never seen it before, the most detailed images ever captured

August 6, 2026

Sir Demis Hassabis: Who is the new mastermind behind Google’s AI division?

August 5, 2026

Ariana Grande ready to focus on herself, surrounded by supportive people, sources say

August 5, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα