Why is the lion called king of the jungle

The phrase is a misnomer because lions don't live in the jungle, they live out on the Savannah.Also because it is at the top of the food chain. Few animals will dare to challenge a lion, even in periods of extreme hunger, or fighting for territory. Hyena's often get into conflicts with lions since their food sources are essentially the same and have been known to attack and kill lions.An interesting related fact is that King Leonidas' name actually meant "lion-like,". He was the King of Sparta between 488BC and 480BC.Perhaps some people associate Africa with jungles, and since Lions live in Africa they make the erroneous association.