A Roman voyage for a healing god may have shaped one of medicine's most iconic symbols

A Roman voyage for a healing god may have shaped one of medicine's most iconic symbols

A desperate Roman mission to stop a plague may have helped create one of medicine's most enduring symbols: a snake wrapped around a staff. What began as an ancient search for divine healing also became an early example of humans moving wildlife far beyond its native range — with consequences that have lasted for centuries, according to Countryfile. What happened? Plague was ravaging Rome in the third century BC, so a delegation of Roman elders t…