In antiquity, the term 'aspis' referred to any one of several venomous snake species found in the Nile region.
Notes on verification
Corroborated by Britannica and independent biology source; term likely most specifically meant Egyptian cobra but was used broadly for several venomous species.
Sources
- Asp (snake) (en.wikipedia.org)
- https://www.etymonline.com/word/asp (etymonline.com)
- https://biologyinsights.com/what-is-an-asp-snake-the-venomous-species-it-refers-to/ (biologyinsights.com)
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/asp (britannica.com)
- https://study.com/academy/lesson/egyptian-cobra-overview-myths-facts.html (study.com)