I just finished watching it for the first time.
Who had the snake put in their bed as ordered by Commodus?

__________________
Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

Wow, this is unusual. Usually S&W gets on these type questions right away!

__________________
Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

One of the things I like to do is read the Trivia and Goofs sections on IMDB. You can learn some interesting things about the movies (and some not so much.) In this case, though, I found the answer on a blog written by a biologist who comments on animal errors made in the movies. The movie intended to depict that a poisonous Old World Coral Snake was placed into the bed of Senator Gaius and his female companion, because of their treason against the Emperor (Commodus.) However, in the movie making process, they used a harmless milk snake, which looks something like a poisonous variety but isn't (fortunately for the actors.)

The biologist was pointing out that in the period being depicted by the movie, the New World hadn't been discovered yet, and so a milk snake wouldn't have been available. I think the producers were more concerned with keeping the actors from being killed than making a herpetologically correct substitution! I'm sure that ASPCA wouldn't let them defang a coral snake, so they had to go with a "snake double."

Most interesting! But the Old World coral snakes come from areas that I wouldn't think were within Roman domains.

They are quite unlike New World corals, which come in considerable variety from the US throughout much of South America. Little is known of some species, and they DO NOT follow the N. American coloration scheme of "red and black, friend of Jack; red and yellow; kill a fellow!"

It is theoretically possible that they could have gotten kraits from India, which was reached by Alexander the Great and certainly known to the Romans. Kraits are very dangerous and remind me of coral snake behavior. I think of the corals as sort of New World kraits. But transporting them would be a grave risk, and they might sicken or starve.

The logical and traditional choice would be an Egyptian cobra. Traditionally used to execute Egyptian nobles who'd fallen afoul of the various pharoahs, Cleopatra probably also committed suicide with one to avoid becoming a political prisoner or slave of Octavius Caesar, later called Caesar Augustus. The venom is pretty quick and usually effective. Even now, without antivenin, a victim usually dies.

Rome had strong Egyptian connections; indeed Egypt was subject to Rome by the time depicted. Trade flourished. Obtaining a cobra would be comparatively easy. They were probably kept in some Roman zoos, if they had any.

BTW, this snake, Naja haje, is not limited to Egypt. It ranges throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. Some of you probably saw the late Steve Irwin's movie in which he went to Kenya and molested various dangerous snakes. One of these cobras came after him quite aggressively. It was fun to see him surprised and baffled at the aggression shown by many African snakes. The Aussie varieties that he usually dealt with seemed awfully tranquil in his hands. I don't know if they were wild ones. Still, he took awful chances!

I write fan fiction about a now-cancelled TV show and in one story, needed a lethal snake to be inserted into the guest bedroom of Lord and Lady Roxton, the Earl and Countess of Avebury. That info will tell fans which show was involved. ("The Lost World": John and Marguerite had married by the time of the story.)

I selected an Egyptian cobra, which the would-be murderer probably obtained from a band of gypsies in the UK. Fortunately, Marguerite saw it in time and it fell victim to a butterfly net and a machete.

One outside possibility in ancient Rome is the Saw-Scaled Viper. (Without checking, I think it's genus Echis.) I'll look it up later. It would be small enough to slip into a bed and probably less likely to squirm out of the bed and hide quietly elsewhere. The more aggressive, usually larger, cobra would be more active. (In my fan fic, it wasn't left in a bed; just put in the bedroom. It slithered out of a closet, where Lady Roxton saw it in time to beat feet into the bathroom and shut the door.)

But the Saw-Scaled Viper venom, although exceedingly deadly, kills slowly, with the victim in agony. That might appeal to a foe.

The Puff Adder (Bitis arietans) is a candidate, as it's deadly and pretty sluggish. One might lurk in a bed. Technically, one would be availabe to a determined Roman emperor, who'd get it via their African domains. But perhaps a lot of trouble, unless one was in a zoo in Italy...

I certainly doubt that any Roman in his right mind would handle a mamba, even if he had access to one. Too fast, too deadly, and too large in most cases to hide in a bed. Too unlikely to remain there, too. And found further south in Africa than Rome's forces went, or usually, the Egyptians.

The bottom line is, I don't think that using a venomous snake is a good way to kill people, although it's been tried. I think an emperor who wanted a man and his lady dead would just have them stabbed by street thugs. Such gangs were routinely used by Roman politicians. Or, Romans used many poisons.

Why not just arrest and condemn the man? I gather that stealth was wanted in this case. Maybe the murdered man was popular with the masses?

It is actually a popular idea to use snakes in movies and books, but it is dangerous and usually unrealistic. No one is going to try to paint another snake the colors of a dangerous one, even if its shape is similar! Basically, the producers just hope the audience won't know one snake from another.

But if they called this one a coral snake, that's hugely unlikely in ancient Rome.

Oh: the basic European Viper, Vipera berus, is not usually lethal.

I don't know if the real Roman emperors ever used poisonous snakes to kill someone, or if that was just a bit of movie drama, but I agree...you'd think that a powerful and cruel ruler would enjoy a much more direct method of putting his enemies to death. From what I understand, the Romans enjoyed the murderous spectacles, especially those put on by Caligula.

I think the biologist kinda missed the whole point...he sounded disappointed that the movie makers didn't use a real poisonous snake!

I don't remember them mentioning the type of snake. It just showed one of Commodus men sliding a striped snake into the bed. I guess they figured a striped pattern looked poisonous.

__________________
Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

So those Scientologists who put rattlesnakes in Lance Kenton's mailbox were just funnin'?

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Not in jail.

Actually, in nature, there are many non-poisonous species that mimic a poisonous species as a means of self-defense. This is true for both animals and plants, which I find amazing.

I haven't heard about that case, but it seems to be attempted homicide. In the right circumstances, murder by snake is certainly feasible. I just think there are often more sure ways.

Ridley Scott's errors in "Gladiator" are legion. But, this was a movie, and not a documentary. Off the top:

• The Praetorian Guard wore red.
• The legionnaires would have thrown the pilum, and not gone into the "testuto" formation in the opening battle, losing critical mass and momentum. The scutum would have provided adequate protection.
• Ranks would not have been broken, resulting in "spatha et pilum" (man-to-man) combat. That's why the Romans drew up three ranks of troops.
• Commanding generals did not lead the cavalry, and it would have been unlikely that Maximus would never have been to Rome, as "Rome's leading general".
• Getting to Spain, from Germany, would have been a herculean effort. And how, in just a few hours, did Commodus get enough of a jump, to have Maximus' family slain?

Too many plot holes and factual errors. I finally gave up, and just sat back and enjoyed the action. Plus, Connie Nielsen is so easy on the eyes.

PS - For more of Ridley Scott's miscues, see "Prometheus".

Sometimes you just have to do that for entertainment...unless it is a non-fiction documentary, in which case I do expect facts and a correct presentation.

What a minute! Are you saying "Gladiator" was not historically accurate?

Well fiddle-dee-sticks.

Well...I hate to do this to you...but, neither was "Braveheart."

Next thing you'll be saying is that "Noah" isn't accurate!!!!

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Even older, even crankier....

I've seen reference images of the "Praetorian Guard" wearing BLACK, or PURPLE or RED.

The vast majority of "movie" images show them dressed in black.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

Most of the books I've read, including a translation of Tacitus' "History", stated that the Praetorians were distinguished only by their shields, from other legionaries.

I've seen several depictions in paintings, which were done during the Renaissance, and later, and the black attire seemed artistic interpretation, along with their equipment and uniforms.

Well....

No surprise you hadn't heard it. It appears I remembered it all wrong. Google now tells me it was Lance Kenton and another guy, somehow connected with Synanon, who put the rattlesnakes in somebody's mailbox. Here I have been carrying this animus toward Scientology for years for no apparent reason. No, I take that back. I still have plenty of good reasons.

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Not in jail.

True for some humans, too!! Remember Barney Fife??

Well, I knew that. Men don't wear Catholic school girl plaid skirts.