The Way to Handle a Threat: A Lesson from a Lion
(cdn.videy.co)
I often times wondered why European heraldry chose the Lion so much, a predator from africa.
Why not a native animal?
After all, chink lords did not chose Tarrantulas and pitbulls as symbols.
It must be because of majesty and ferocity.
In Rome, they brought lions from africa to fight in the Coliseum.
In some fights, a group of unarmed or poorly armed convicts would go against one lion. The lion virtually always won.
In other fights, it would be single combat between a seasoned gladiator and a lion. The lion usually won, but not always.
Power.
That must be why lions were so popular in heraldry.
Raw, primal, nigh-unbeatable power.
Why not a native animal?
After all, chink lords did not chose Tarrantulas and pitbulls as symbols.
It must be because of majesty and ferocity.
In Rome, they brought lions from africa to fight in the Coliseum.
In some fights, a group of unarmed or poorly armed convicts would go against one lion. The lion virtually always won.
In other fights, it would be single combat between a seasoned gladiator and a lion. The lion usually won, but not always.
Power.
That must be why lions were so popular in heraldry.
Raw, primal, nigh-unbeatable power.
It shows Ntwadumela ("He Who Greets With Fire" in some Bantu language), a legendary lion renowned for his intense, predatory vendetta against spotted hyenas, during which he killed a documented 36 clan queens/members.
Also [relevant](https://www.murdoch-murdoch.net/html/wb/fall-in-line.html)