Why the Lion?

[Verbose]

Never heard this before. I don't think its true, do you have anything to back this up? The only lions that existed in Europe were the ones that the Romans brought over to kill martyrs in the Colosseum, or the lion (or was it elephant?) that Charlemagne asked a pope for.

There were lions in Europe, up around the northern coast of the Med.

They went extinct in antiquity already though. Greeks and Romans killed them off. Alexander the Great is said to have worn the pelt of one of the last local beasts to be killed.

And I'm being lazy here of course, but there's a wiki article for starters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_lion

 

[ArneHD]

I think that the russians use a bear in their emblem and have used since the Tzars.

 

[Homie]

There were lions in Europe, up around the northern coast of the Med.

They went extinct in antiquity already though. Greeks and Romans killed them off. Alexander the Great is said to have worn the pelt of one of the last local beasts to be killed.

And I'm being lazy here of course, but there's a wiki article for starters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_lion

Interesting, I did not know that.

 

[Homie]

I think that the russians use a bear in their emblem and have used since the Tzars.

Really. Have never seen this. Thanks for the info.

 

[Verbose]

I think that the russians use a bear in their emblem and have used since the Tzars.

I don't think so.
I think the bear is rather how Russia is portrayed outside of it, by those who feel threatened by it.
The Czars would go for eagles, befitting the successors of the Roman empire, Constantinopolis specifically in their case.

The bear is the heraldic animal of the city of Berlin though.

 

[Souron]

Indeed. The russian coat of arms is the two headed eagle (with the coat of arms of moscow in the center):

 

[Steph]

Why is it that the Lion is the symbol of government, the symbol of Kings, throughout all of Europe's nations? You see it in many of the monarchy's flags, and the former monarchy's flags, like France.

I don't think there was lion on French flags. It was a fleur-de-lys.

 

[Paradigne]

Are there any lions in America? Where did the Double Headed Eagle come from?

We have mountain lions (Puma, cougar) not as big, but still pretty tough

 

[sirtommygunn]

the lion may be lazy but if it needs too it will beat the crap out of competitors show them whos boss
but if it loses all its cubs = good as dead it loses its territory and all its females

 

[aneeshm]

The Ashokan "four lions" symbol is the National Emblem of India.

 

[Masquerouge]

My guess for "why the lion" is simply that the lion is a rather ass-kicking animal.
Much more than, say, the rabbit or the weasel.
And so much more fitted for kings.
Same thing goes for the eagle.

And for some weird reason, France's current animal is the rooster.

BEWARE THE ROOSTER, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! OBEY HIM OR HE WILL WAKE YOU UP!

 

[Steph]

And for some weird reason, France's current animal is the rooster.

That's because it's an animal that sings with its two feet in the muck. It's a well suited representation for France

 

[Urederra]

The football team of my hometown has a lion in the center.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

My guess for "why the lion" is simply that the lion is a rather ass-kicking animal.
Much more than, say, the rabbit or the weasel.
And so much more fitted for kings.
Same thing goes for the eagle.

And for some weird reason, France's current animal is the rooster.

BEWARE THE ROOSTER, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! OBEY HIM OR HE WILL WAKE YOU UP!

It could be worse.

In a letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin revealed why he wanted the national bird of the United States to be the wild turkey instead of the bald eagle. Though, with the current obesity crisis, the turkey would be somewhat more fitting...

 

[Evil Tyrant]

Where did the Double Headed Eagle come from?

I think the double headed eagle was originally an Anatolian(now modern Turkey) symbol, and was eventually adopted by the Byzantines, who once ruled the region. Orthodox Russia saw itself as the successor of the Byzantines, and the Tsars adopted it for their own use. I also think the Hapsburg emblem was also a double headed eagle, but I don't know why they used it.

 

[Swedishguy]

Screw the lion, the Double Headed Eagle is Supreme!

'Griffin' might be a better description, no?

 

[zenspiderz]

I always thought the government symbols were Elephants and Donkeys...

a Lion is powerful,strong,and fearless?

Also Lions are lazy, harem keeping, practitioners of infanticide (or well the males are anyway).

 

[Dann]

In the old days the Chinese imperial symbol is the dragon and not the lion, but the lion is still a favored animal nonetheless, symbolizing power and good fortune, but perhaps not too much as to attract the emperor's attention.

An ancient lion sculpture:

A modern imitation:

They are especially popular today as "guards" in front of banks and government offices.

Lately they have been making some "Western" versions too. Here's a comparison:

And of course there's the ever-popular Lion Dance:

 

[aneeshm]

Here is the Ashokan symbol:

If the previous photo doesn't work, here is another version of the same:

Some other Ashokan lion symbols:

@ Dann:

That ancient sculpture has something the modern ones lack. It looks as if there is tension in that frame, power in that sculpture, that a great civilisation produced it. You can feel it in your bones when you look at it, you can feel the imperial glory of China. You get the same feeling that you have when looking at the Ashokan lions - that a mighty civilisational power was needed to produce these symbols. The modern ones don't have that power. They feel childish and small, like imitations without a soul, or with a perverted soul.

What the hell happened?

 

[Lotus49]

Lion... "King of the jungle".

Thus, it seems fitting for a king to use it on his standard / coat of arms, because people will see it, and think... "king"... thus solidifying his power... just that much more.

It's all just a big, non-stop struggle for power, including perception of power/strength. So, use something that inspires such feelings in people.

The fact that most people in Europe hadn't actually seen a lion, was good. Obviously back then, things were talked up, into legends. So, in people's minds, a lion was some exceedingly powerful beast somewhere in another land, that inspired fear, awe, respect, etc.

-Traits a king / ruler wanted to have his people associate with him.

And it usually works, because the masses generally have weak minds, and can be easily persuaded into thinking in whatever direction you want them to.

Plus, it can make troops in battle feel reassured, confident, strong, blah blah... all for the same reasons. Basic psychology.

Bottom line... seeking to add glory, through imagery.

Same reason women wear jewelry...

blah blah... tangent...