1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: is an open book, all of these amazing tales right 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: to the Cabinet of Curiosities. There's a polite term once 5 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: used to describe people of means who didn't behave according 6 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: to societal norms. The term was eccentric, and many throughout 7 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 1: history came to embody it. John Mitten, also known as 8 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 1: Mad Jack, was a British aristocrat during the nineteenth century 9 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: who literally bought himself a seat in Parliament. He paid 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: every voter ten pounds, costing him roughly ten thousand pounds. 11 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: Mitton was inevitably elected for his generosity, but his term 12 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: was cut short by himself. He sat in on one 13 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: thirty minute meeting in the House of Commons and decided 14 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't for him. He never came back. Oh and 15 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 1: he also reportedly arrived at one of his own dinner 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: parties riding the top of bear named Nell, and occasionally 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: hunted wild game wearing nothing but his birthday suit. A 18 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: unique individual, to say the least. Then there was Heady Green, 19 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: the Witch of Wall Street, allegedly worth tens of billions 20 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: of dollars, which she earned by being incredibly stingy. Rather 21 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: than rent in office, she worked out of trunks she 22 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: kept at the bank. She also donned the same black 23 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: clothes every day until they were too tattered to wear. 24 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: She barely bathed or heated her home to save on 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: living costs. To Finally, we have Matthew Robinson, second Baron Rokebury. 26 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: By all accounts, Lord Rokebury had a fairly standard upbringing 27 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: for someone of his station. He was born in Yorkshire, England, 28 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: around into a family of six brothers and two sisters. Large, yes, 29 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: but also incredibly sophisticated and well rounded. Among his siblings 30 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: were authors, legal writers, clerics and members of parliament. With 31 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: such a successful brood, it took a lot for Lord 32 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: Rokeby to stand out. After he graduated college, he became 33 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: a Fellow of the Royal Society, an honor bestowed upon 34 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: people who had contributed to the advancement of math, engineering 35 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: and medicine. Around the same time, his mother passed away 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: and left him a property she owned in Kent. Her 37 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: untimely death came with an inheritance and bigger responsibilities, which 38 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: perhaps led to her son's increased stress. It was after 39 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: he had vacationed in a German spa town when Lord 40 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: Rokeby developed a passion for baths. He loved the sensation 41 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: of submerging his body in water, of cleansing himself of 42 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: the day's dirt and grime. But he didn't just want 43 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: to be clean. Lord Rokeby practically lived in the water. 44 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: He was obsessed with it, lounging in it, drinking it, 45 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: being around it at all times. He preached its benefits 46 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: to anyone who would listen. He often traveled to the 47 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: shore and spent entire days in the ocean until someone 48 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: would come and fetch him out of the water. Occasionally 49 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: he would pass out there and have to be saved 50 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: from drowning. Eventually, though, it became too much of a 51 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,399 Speaker 1: hassle to travel to the ocean, so he moved out 52 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: of his large mansion and into a small hut on 53 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: the coast so he could be closer to the water. 54 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: He even had drinking fountains installed along the route just 55 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: in case he got thirsty, and whenever he saw someone 56 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 1: else drinking from one of them, he'd give them half 57 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: a crown. But not everyone supported this new hydrated lifestyle. 58 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: The neighbors were worried about him, as were his siblings, 59 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: so Lord Rokeby retreated to his mansion, where he kept 60 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: to himself. He stopped venturing outside for any reason, instead 61 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: having a swimming pool installed surrounded by glass to trap 62 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: the sunlight in and keep the water warm. He swam 63 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: even in the dead of winter and refused to light 64 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: a fire to heat the rest of the house. To him, 65 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: the swimming pool was enough. He also grew his beard 66 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: longer than any of his peers and reduced his food 67 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: intake to beef, broth and venison. He awaited doctors. He 68 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: only worshiped within the walls of the mansion, never joining 69 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: the rest of the community at local church services. With 70 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: all the dietary changes and reclusive behaviors, one might think 71 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: Lord Rokeby couldn't live that long. After all, he barely 72 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 1: ate anything, and most of what he ate was meat based. 73 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: But he also gave up bread, corn, and sugar, dietary 74 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: choices that might sound all too familiar to people today 75 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: who hope to lose weight and regain control of their bodies. 76 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: As a result of his daily regiment, Lord Rokeby lived 77 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: the ripe old age of eight. He died peacefully in 78 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: his bed, although there's no word on whether he was 79 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: buried at sea, but you can bet that's what he 80 00:04:45,279 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: would have wanted. Roman emperor's weren't known for their forgiveness. 81 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: The Emperor Tiberius, who ruled from a d. Fourteen to 82 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 1: thirty seven, was a paranoid tyrant. Longer he reigned, the 83 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: more suspicious he grew of everyone around him. After he 84 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: thwarted an attempted coup by one of his advisors, he 85 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 1: fled to the island of Capri and used an ancient 86 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: edict to execute anyone he even suspected of treason. The 87 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: Emperor Nero knew how to rule, which he did from 88 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: a d. Fifty four to sixty eight, and surrounded himself 89 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: with knowledgeable advisers, but he was also a serial killer. 90 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: First he took care of his stepbrother, who he was 91 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: worried would take the throne away from him. Then he 92 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: had his wife killed so that he could be with 93 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: his mistress, Popeia, who then encouraged him to murder his mother. 94 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: One big, happy family, right. But galleanis Emperor of Rome 95 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: from two fifty three to two sixty eight. Was perhaps 96 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: the most feared of them all. He came from a 97 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: rich and politically powerful family and quickly gained a reputation 98 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: as a strategic military mind. His forces prevented countless invasions 99 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: and helped to secure several important areas of modern day 100 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: Europe for the Empire. But that sort of military work 101 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: required troops on several fronts. He put one of his 102 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: sons in charge of stopping an invasion in the east 103 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: while he focused on protecting the west. As a result 104 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: of these distractions, a governor named Ingenuous declared himself emperor 105 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 1: in Galiennis's place. Well, that didn't sit well with the 106 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: real emperor, who rushed back home and took the governor's 107 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: forces head on. When Ingenious was killed, Galliennis reclaimed his 108 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: rightful place as Roman emperor. But that's not why Galliennis 109 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: was so feared. His brilliance extended far beyond his military 110 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: prowess to how he handled the public. He once put 111 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: a gladiator against a large bull, but the gladiator didn't 112 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: perform as expected. A poor fighter tried over ten consecutive 113 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: times to kill the bull and failed each time. The 114 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: crowd expected something to happen to the gladiator for his failure. 115 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: Perhaps another animal, such as a lion, might be brought 116 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: out to take him on, or another person for him 117 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: to fight. Galiennis, though, had another idea. He had a 118 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: crown brought out to the young man and placed atop 119 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: his head. Everyone in attendance was shocked someone as low 120 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: as a gladiator to be crowned it was unheard of, 121 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: And then Galiennas had a herald announced to the crowd. 122 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: It is a difficult thing not to wound a bull. 123 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: So many times. Along with his formidable military mind, it 124 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: seemed the emperor had a sense of humor. He wasn't 125 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: always so kind, though. One time, a local merchant had 126 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: sold Galiennis his wife some jewels. She quickly discovered that 127 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: they weren't of any value at all and were actually 128 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: just colored glass. The emperor was furious. He ordered his 129 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: guards to find the merchant, snatch him up, and throw 130 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: him to the lions. He had the city gather in 131 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: the colosseum, just as they had done for the gladiator. 132 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: This would teach anyone planning on cheating the emperor or 133 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: his wife to think twice. A merchant cowered in the 134 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: center of the ring as spectators looked on, and somewhere 135 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: a lion roared, scaring him so much that the poor 136 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: man wet himself in front of everyone Onlookers laughed as 137 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: they waited for the beast to show itself. Gallienis held 138 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: out until the crowd was at a fever pitch, and 139 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: then he gave the signal. The gate was lifted, and 140 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: from the darkened wings of the Colosseum came a terrifying 141 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 1: and intimidating chicken. Yeah, a chicken. The people, surprised at first, 142 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: soon burst into laughter. They've never seen anything like it. 143 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: The Emperor, laughing right along with them, announced to the 144 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: crowd he has deceived, and then was himself deceived. The 145 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: merchant had served his time as the butt of a 146 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: joke for all of Rome, and then was free to go. 147 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: But I doubt he was ever able to eat a 148 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: bite of chicken never again. I hope you've enjoyed today's 149 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 1: guided too of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free 150 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about the show by 151 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The show was created by 152 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: me Aaron Mankey in partnership with how Stuff Works, I 153 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, 154 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: book series, and television show and you can learn all 155 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: about it over at the world of Lore dot com. 156 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: And until next time, stay curious.