Roman Bestiary of Creatures and Monsters

Roman Bestiary of Creatures and Monsters

The bestiary of Roman myths and legends may not be as diverse as that of Greek mythology, yet it still offers several fascinating and mysterious mythical creatures.

Among them is the *Remora* — a sea monster resembling a long fish with spiny fins and a suction cup on its head. This giant creature would attach itself to the hulls of ships, preventing them from sailing away. It is believed that this creature inspired later myths of the Kraken and other sea monsters.

Another enigmatic being is the *Strix*. According to classical mythology, this bird was considered an omen of misfortune, feeding on human flesh and blood. Ovid is the only ancient author to describe it in detail, though his account was rather brief. He mentioned a creature with a round head, sharp eyes, a predatory beak, and grayish-white wings. It would cry — possibly scream — at night. Its description bears a resemblance to an owl, but there were also notes that it hung upside down while resting, similar to bats.

Later interpretations by artists and writers evolved the image of the Strix. Sometimes it was depicted as a spirit, other times in human form, or associated with magic. There is even speculation that the Strix served as an early prototype for vampires and ghouls. This is supported by the Romanian term *strigă* — meaning "witch" in Latin and "scream" in Romanian — which is often used in reference to vampires.