The Greek philosopher Socrates drank a cup of some kind of hemlock infusion at his execution in 399 BC.

Cicuta virosa is however primarily a northern European species, rare or absent from the Mediterranean region, making its use in Greece unlikely.

In the past, this plant has had a number of colorful names, including Mackenzie's water hemlock,[4] Beaver-poison, Children's-bane, Snakeweed and Musquash-poison.

In humans, cicutoxin rapidly produces symptoms of nausea, emesis and abdominal pain, typically within 60 minutes of ingestion.

Cicuta virosa fossil fruit halves are described rare in the Pliocene of Europe but common in the Pleistocene interglacial floras of the East European Plain.