Death by Produce

Why did the Suda insist a Greek comic playwright died after being struck by a pear? How did the Emperor Augustus's own precautions against poison get defeated by figs still hanging on the tree? And why could sixteenth-century chroniclers not agree whether a King of England was killed by apples, pears, plums, peaches, or simply overeating?Join John and Patrick as they trawl through history's long and stranger-than-it-sounds relationship with fatal fruit and veg — from poets choked on grapes at Greek symposia and a Roman prince's fatal party trick, to a 99-year-old man killed by a falling coconut, a watermelon-eating contest that ended in tragedy in Brazil last December, and a devastating public health mystery in India that took decades to unravel.---------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: historyoffreshproduce@gmail.com