The serpent is one of the most persistent and multiform symbols in the religious imagination of the Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds. From the tannîn of Genesis to the drákon of Greek tradition, from the monstrous forms of Echidna and Typhon to the ambivalent figure of the Leviathan, serpent imagery evolves through a spectrum that ranges from cosmic threat to divine mediation. This article examines the philological, mythological, and theological dimensions of serpent symbolism, arguing that the apparent dualism between "benevolent" and "malevolent" serpent forms derives not from inherent opposition, but from cultural reinterpretation across epochs. By analysing primary sources from the Hebrew Bible, Greek literature, Egyptian cultic narratives, and late antique syncretic traditions, the study proposes that the serpent served as a foundational figure for expressing transformation, divine presence, cosmic tension, and metaphysical power. The work concludes by suggesting that modern Ophidian theology, as articulated in the contemporary movement of Ophidism, emerges organically from this long lineage, reframing the serpent not as adversary but as the icon of Unity and Becoming.