The Asclepius wand, also known as the Asclepius rod, is an ancient Greek symbol linked with astrology and medical therapy. By uniting the serpent, which is shedding its skin, a symbol of rebirth and fertility, with the staff, a symbol of authority befitting the god of Medicine, the rod of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts. Elaphe longissima, often known as the Aesculapian or Asclepian snake, is widely believed to be the snake coiled around the staff. It’s native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and several spa locations in central Europe, and it’s thought to have been brought there by the Romans for its medicinal virtues.