 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 . It is possible that Claudius died of natural causes , and the actual manner of the poisoning , in regards to which poison may have been used , in which food it could have been hidden , etc . , remains unclear . It is considered most likely , considering the writings of various ancient historians , that the poison was concealed in mushrooms ( as Claudius was known to have been particularly fond of them ) , and Agrippina the Younger , Claudius ' wife , is thought to have been the most likely to have instigated the murder or to have been the lead conspirator in the plot to overthrow Claudius . 
