The Basilisk’s Origins

The basilisk has been featured in bestiaries by the top minds in philosophy and science throughout history for literally thousands of years. Despite the appearance of the basilisk in many hundreds of works through the years, there has never been any actually documented beginning for his legend. There is also no specific locale in which the basilisk was conceived, but most authors over the years have agreed that the basilisk lives and originates in a desert location. Africa, would be the best guess, because of the country’s hundreds of miles of desert, particularly in Egypt. The desert location of the basilisk, legends say, is not because the basilisk prefers the desert over any other area, but because wherever he walks the basilisk leaves behind a trail of venom that kills off plants and animals. Also, anything a basilisk breathes, looks, or spits upon dies.

This lead ancient authors, historians and scientists to believe that deserts were not created because of weather conditions, but because that’s where a basilisk roamed. Many theories today reflect that because the Egyptian deserts are the home of the native Egyptian cobra, this is where the legend originated as well. The name basilisk translates to “king” from the Greek word, basileus. The ancient Romans called him “regulus” which means “little king,” because of his terrorising other animals as well. He was called thus because of his rule over other animals, and because of the crown like marking on his head. An Egyptian cobra shares the same marking, and can stand erect, spitting fatal poison without the need to bite.