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Why are Europeans obsessed with lions?

2022-07-25 19:08:49Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Why are Europeans obsessed with lions?
lions

If you walk along historical monuments in Europe, everywhere you will see figures and statues of lions, while the lion nowadays lives only on the African continent. However, when you see that almost every second European country has the lion as its official coat of arms, you will surely wonder why Europe is obsessed with the lion as a symbol?

The answer dates back to prehistoric times. The first figure of a lion with a human body was found 35 thousand years ago in the territory of today's Germany. But how did the lion symbol become one of the most used on the old continent from prehistoric times to the present day?

Were there lions in Europe?

The modern lion is considered an exclusively African animal and, except in the royal gardens of India, does not live naturally anywhere else on the planet. But, it was not always like this. At the end of the Ice Age, the cave lion spread to the European continent, which was larger and heavier than the modern lion, but did not have a mane (fur around the face).

Evolving to withstand harsh and cold winters, this species of Eurasian lion ranged from the coast of Iberia, through the Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia, to Alaska.

But, about 14 thousand years ago, it almost completely disappeared as a species. This is due to the warming of the climate and the expansion of people across Europe. It is assumed that they hunted it to extinction, like other large creatures of the Ice Age, including mammoths.

From this species arose the modern lion called "panther leo", with two sub-groups - Eurasian and African that had some differences, especially in the expression of fur around the face and structure.

But even these creatures were not lucky enough to survive for long in this part of the world. The remaining individuals are believed to have spread to southern Europe. In the Peloponnese, lions completely disappeared during the 10th century BC. In the territory of Ancient Macedonia, the last lion was in the 1st century, in Bulgaria and in the area of ​​Thrace it was found until the 4th century, and it survived longer in the Caucasus.

There has been more "luck" in Asia and the countries of the Middle East, primarily because of the warm climate and places where people are not concentrated.

The epic of European lions

The ancient Greeks were the first to use lions for political purposes, intertwined in mythology and art. The mythological hero Hercules defeated the giant Nemean lion that symbolized courage, strength and dominance.

But the real use of lions in public life is due to the Roman Empire. As rulers of the Mediterranean with ambitions for territorial expansion, Roman rulers wanted to project power, excellence, and overwhelming military might.

Lions become the main symbol of many public institutions, statues of lions are placed in front of palace entrances to inspire admiration and respect.

When fights with gladiators were organized, lions from the territory of the Balkans were used. The lions that were hunted in Africa were used as "bait", respectively they fought with other animals such as dogs and bears to the death.

Blue blood and the heart of a lion

The return of antiquity to Europe during the Middle Ages also meant the imitation of earlier civilizations and the partial adoption of culture, symbols and myths about rulers and the crown.

Many noble families throughout Europe have the lion as their protective symbol. The lion is also used as an emblem on military flags, which was supposed to bring extra courage to the troops in battle.

Today, about 17 European countries have state coats of arms in which lions are represented, and it can also be found in many other heraldic symbols of revolutionary and political movements. Also, many companies use the lion as a trademark, which is supposed to represent success, loyalty and wealth.

The lion and the eagle are among the most used animal symbols in Christianity and depending on the periods, the role of the churches and the political phases they had different meanings. Often the lion was presented as a holy symbol, with modesty and obedience to God, but sometimes also as a sinner or repentant.

However, there is no comprehensive scientific study on the influence of the lion symbols in the so-called "dark ages" throughout Europe, and the research so far is partial. What can be concluded is that the lion in this era was not an existential threat as it was long extinct as a species and was later adopted as a symbol of royal families with "God's blessing". /TRT BALKAN


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