Claudius Aelianus
The Roman author Claudius Aelianus in his book "De Natura Animalium" describes the "draco" as a big constricting snake found in India, presumably the Indian Python, but with its size and strength greatly exaggerated so that it can kill an elephant by constricting its neck; this battle between a "draco" and an elephant is repeated with much embellishment in later descriptions of "dracones" or dragons in bestiaries.