Battle of the King and the Lion

The Battle of the King and the Lion, originally titled “The Confrontation of the Shahriar”, has been carved into the bas-reliefs of Persepolis for more than 2,500 years.

In this image a roaring male lion is depicted rearing on its hind legs — a posture also found on Assyrian cylinder seals.

From the Neo-Sumerian period to the end of the Assyrian era, scenes of hunting and of confrontation between the king or hero and the lion appear repeatedly on seals and monuments.

In the reliefs of Persepolis, under the Achaemenid Empire and particularly from the reign of Xerxes onward, the representation of the sovereign in conflict with supernatural creatures and beasts becomes more and more present. Similar images are also found on coins discovered from that glorious period.