[Verginius Rufus]

There used to be lions in parts of Europe. They figure in Greek mythology and Greek art, and there is the famous Lion Gate at Mycenae from the Late Bronze Age (about the 13th century BC).

Herodotus reports that lions attacked Xerxes' baggage train in 480 BC, but going after the camels only. He says there were many lions in those areas--between the River Nestos and the River Acheloos (Herodotus 7.12-126). The Nestos is in what is now NE Greece (the coastal strip south of Bulgaria) and the Acheloos is in the western part of central Greece (flowing into the sea opposite the island of Ithaca).

[entropy12]

I know there were dangerous animals everywhere.
Even Siberia has large tigers today!

But Africa had more dangerous creatures than other places.
Lions,
wild dogs,
black mamba’s,
cobra’s,
Hyena’s,
Leopards,
Cheetah’s,
crocodiles,
Rhino’s,
Hippo’s
.....just a partial list.

No wonder Homo Sapiens evolved lot of brain power.
They had to in order to stay alive!