Some believe that [Vipera aspis. the asp] was introduced to Sicily by the Carthaginians during their conquest of the island in the years 398-368 BC, The basis for the speculation is that the Carthaginians were known to load a small boat with a collection of venomous snakes and push the boat toward enemy ships as a means of terrorizing their opponents prior to combat.

I'm skeptical, to say the least, but the claim is from Snakes, Gordon H. Rodda, Encyclopedia of Islands, ed. Rosemary G. Gillespie and David A. Clague, University of California Press, 2009, pg. 845.