It's an asp. Legend has always held that it was the bite of an asp - an Egyptian cobra - which caused Cleopartra's demise.
The snake was the symbol of royalty in Egypt, and its bite was used for the execution of favored criminals in Greco-Roman times.
The Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) also known as the asp is one of the largest cobra species found in the African continent second only to the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca). The species is also known by other common names like African banded cobra, banded cobra, brown cobra or Arabian cobra.
European aspic vipers (Vipera aspis) of France, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy are often referred to as asps. Adult aspic vipers may reach 50 cm (20 inches) in total length, although most are smaller.
Find out more amazing facts about the Egyptian Cobra on snake-facts.weebly.com.
Tip! WebMD shares First Aid Information for Snakebite.