History of lions in Europe

Pleistocene records Lions seem to have first evolved in east Africa around the Plio-Peistocene boundary (ca. 2 million years ago). The earliest remains of lions in Eurasia have been dated to around 1 million years ago, and lions became ubiquitous in Europe around 700-600,000 years ago. These fossils are classified as Panthera fossilis and Panthera (spelaea) fossilis. Some specimens have been estimated at around in life, which would make Panthera fossilis one of the largest felids that ever lived. Holocene records Although there are some claimed records of early Holocene cave lion fossils from Italy, the dating of these fossils are uncertain. The oldest confirmed remains of modern lion in Europe date to the early Holocene, around 8,000-6,000 years ago. European Holocene lions are suggested to represent part of the same population as living Asiatic lions. In Greece, lions first appeared around 6,500–6,000 years ago as indicated by a front leg bone found in Philippi. Remains were also found in Romania and European Turkey. Interestingly a human skeleton found near the Kozareva mound (Eastern Bulgaria) and dating to ca. 4600–4200 BC, bears lesions that indicate a big carnivore attack, most likely done by a lion. Historic range of Panthera leo early-mid Holocene scene, featuring, from left to right, Asiatic lions, European wild ass, Pannonian sousliks, European rollers, great bustards and a lesser grey shrike. In Southeast Europe, the modern lion (Panthera leo) inhabited part of the Balkan Peninsula as well as adjacent areas, ranging northwestwards to Hungary and eastwards Ukraine during the Neolithic period. It disappeared from Macedonia around the first century AD, from Western Thrace not before the 2nd century AD and from Thessaly possibly in the 4th century CE; Themistius regretted that no more lions could be furnished for beast-shows. Some authors have argued that the lion may have survived in Ukraine as late as the High Middle Ages, based on a report of the 12th century Kievan Rus' prince Vladimir Monomakh encountering a 'fierce beast', which some have conjectured to be a lion. ==In culture==

found in Germany has been dated to the Upper Paleolithic during the Pleistocene, about 35,000 to 40,000 years ago Cave lions feature in a number of works of Palaeolithic art, though depictions are comparatively rare. Lions feature in ancient Greek mythology and writings, including the myth of the Nemean lion, which was believed to be a supernatural lion that occupied the sacred town of Nemea in the Peloponnese. Homer mentioned lions 45 times in his poems, but this could have been due to his experience in Asia Minor. Conon refers to the myth of how the city of Olynthus got its name around the period of the Trojan War, when Olynthos, son of King Strymon, was killed by a lion during a lion hunt. According to Herodotus, lions occurred between Achelous river and Nestus, being plentiful between Akanthos and Thermi. When Xerxes advanced near Echedorus in 480 BC, the troops' camels were attacked by lions. Xenophon stated around 400 BC that lions were hunted around Mount Kissos, Pangaio, the Pindus mountains and elsewhere. Aristotle in the 4th century BC provided some data on lion distribution, behaviour, breeding and also anatomy. According to him, lions were more numerous in North Africa than in Europe; they had approached towns, and attacked people only if they were old, or had poor dental health. Pliny the Elder mentions that European lions were stronger compared to those from Syria and Africa. In the 2nd century AD, Pausanias referred to lion presence east of Nestus in Thrace, in the area of Abdera. He also referred to a story about Polydamas of Skotoussa, an Olympic winner in the 5th century BC, who allegedly used his bare hands to kill a lion on Thessalian part of Mount Olympus; the legend of Mermerus who was killed during a hunt by a lioness, opposite Corfu; and to one about Caranus of Macedon who according to the Macedonians, raised a trophy that was thrown down and destroyed by a lion that was rushing down from Mount Olympus. The Romans used Barbary lions from North Africa for lion-baiting, and lions from Greece for gladiatorial games. File:Herakles lion Louvre CA1340.jpg|Heracles and the Nemean lion, c. 540 BC, Boeotia, Greece File:Brauron - Marble Slab with a Lion.jpg|Lion sculpture, 4th century BC, Koropi, Greece File:Hunting Mycenaean Dagger.jpg|Depiction of a hunting scene on a dagger found in Mycenae, Greece, 16th century BC File:Met, greek, attic, marble lion, mid 4th century BC.JPG|Marble lion from Greece, mid-4th century BC File:7704 - Piraeus Arch. Museum, Athens - Lion from the grave for Pelthinikos - Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto,.jpg|Depiction of the lion from the 4th century BC, Greece File:AR nomos of Velia.jpg|Silver stater struck in Velia 334-300 BC depicting Athena wearing a Phrygian helmet decorated with a centaur and lion devouring prey File:NHMB-Zhaba-mogila-Strelcha-relief-of-lion-polychrome-decoration-5-4-centuryBC.jpg|Stone relief of a lion with a polychrome decorations, Zhaba Mogila, Strelcha, Bulgaria, 5th century BC. File:Lion hunt mosaic from Pella.jpg|Mosaic from Pella (ancient Macedonia), late 4th century BC, depicting Alexander the Great and Craterus. ==See also==