Halotus

Halotus died close to the end of the century, his public reputation somewhat restored after his rise in stature and wealth.

[2] It also meant that he would have been aware of details such as the Emperor's food preferences, his meal times and his schedule, making it easier for him to commit the murder.

[5] There are many possible reasons for this but the most likely is related to the possibility of sexual contact between servant and master; a prohibition against sexual contact between royalty and servants, guards and slaves was not uncommon in many parts of the world during Halotus' era and it was thought that male castration would prevent this.

[6] Halotus is primarily remembered for his suspected involvement in the conspiracy and poisoning of Emperor Claudius on 13 October (times of death are in dispute; see below) 54 AD.

[2] Halotus, as the Emperor's official taster, would probably have had a role in the plot, deceiving Claudius into believing the food was safe to consume.

[18][II] The time of death is also much discussed; one version claims that the poison was so potent that he died instantly, while another says that he endured agony until dawn of the following day.

[21] For a while, it was pretended that Claudius was still alive, with all of those involved in the plot (including Halotus) undertaking their normal duties.

[22] Claudius was cremated, and his ashes were interred in the Mausoleum of Augustus on 24 October, 54 AD, ten days after his death.

[29][III] In 68 AD,[IV], Nero's successor Galba, despite public feeling, rewarded Halotus with a procuratorship.

[1][30] Galba ordered an edict relating to Tigellinus, another servant who had possibly been involved in the murder of Claudius and whose death was also being called for among the Romans, rebuking the public for their harshness and outrage.

Why Halotus was even spared is also unclear, as almost all of Nero's former servants were killed on Galba's assumption of the throne, as Suetonius notes above.

[35] At the time of his death, Halotus' public reputation had been at least partially restored and he had accumulated some degree of wealth after he had been cleared by Galba.