ROMANS FIGHTING A GIANT SNAKE

Valerius Maximus, in his work "Memorable Deeds and Sayings," recounts a tale from Livy's "History of Rome" about a remarkable encounter between Roman soldiers and a giant serpent during the First Punic War.

The story revolves around Marcus Atilius Regulus, a Roman general who found himself facing a formidable threat to his army: a colossal serpent. This creature, of immense size and deadly power, was causing significant casualties among the Roman troops.

Regulus, known for his strategic brilliance and unwavering courage, devised a plan to confront this monstrous adversary. He ordered his soldiers to construct a massive ballista, a powerful siege weapon capable of launching large projectiles. With this weapon, the Romans were able to strike at the serpent from a safe distance.

The battle that ensued was fierce and dramatic. The serpent, enraged and wounded, lashed out with its powerful tail, striking at the Roman soldiers. However, the well-aimed shots from the ballista eventually weakened the creature, and it was finally brought down.

The Romans, victorious over this monstrous foe, celebrated their triumph. The skin of the serpent was brought back to Rome.