Caldrons, Curses, and Corrosives

From the soap vats of Correggio to the imperial courts of Rome, these women turned domestic life into a deadly art form. This episode explores the dark legacies of Leonarda Cianciulli and Locusta of Gaul, two notorious figures who proved that the most dangerous weapon isn't always a blade—sometimes, it’s a tea cake or a poisoned fig.

In this episode, we explore:

• Leonarda Cianciulli (The Soap-Maker of Correggio):

• The Mother’s Curse: How a childhood hex led Leonarda into a world of superstition and human sacrifice.

• The Macabre Recipe: The gruesome details of how she processed three neighbors into soap and "crunchy" tea cakes t ...