Historia Serpentum et Draconum – History of Serpents and Dragons

Historia Serpentum et Draconum, known in full as “Serpentum et draconum historiae libri duo,” is a renowned work, that would translate into “History of Serpents and Dragons”, by the sixteenth-century Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi, published posthumously in 1640 by Bartholommeo Ambrosini under the instruction of the town senate of Bologna​​​​. This work is considered a significant text of the early modern period on the subject of serpents and dragons​​. Aldrovandi’s treatment of snakes, which are real animals, alongside dragons, which are fantastical or mythical creatures, reflects the natural history and cultural myths of the time. The categorization of these creatures together is thought to stem from the morphological similarities observed between snakes and the fossilized remains of dinosaurs, which may have been interpreted as dragons​​.

The first edition of this work, written in Latin, comprises a substantial volume, reflecting the extensive nature of Aldrovandi’s research and the detailed illustrations included within​​. The book spans approximately 500 pages, with a significant portion dedicated to the lore and descriptions of dragons, indicating the depth of Aldrovandi’s exploration into both the natural and mythological world​​.

Aldrovandi was inspired to write this comprehensive treatise possibly due to the purported discovery of a dragon in Bologna, an event that would have sparked considerable interest in such creatures during his time​​. His work continues to be a valuable resource for understanding the intersection of mythology, natural history, and the scientific inquiry of the Renaissance period.