Wyvern wyvern is thought to have derived from the figure of the dragon encountered by Trajan's legions in Dacia. It may be the origin of the red dragon of Wales and the golden dragon of the Kingdom of Wessex carried at the Battle of Burford in AD 752. The concept of winged snakes is common in cultures around the Mediterranean, with a notable example being the Egyptian goddess Wadjet. The oldest creatures outright referred to as "winged dragons" are Helios' chariot steeds, which aid Medea. Wyverns are very similar to dragons, and in many languages, cultures and contexts no clear distinction
Wyvern modern fantasy fiction, though its first literary appearances may have been in medieval bestiaries. The wyvern is a frequent charge in English heraldry and vexillology, also occasionally appearing as a supporter or crest. A white ("Argent") wyvern formed the crest of the Borough of Leicester as recorded at the heraldic visitation of Leicestershire in 1619: "A wyvern sans legs argent strewed with wounds gules, wings expanded ermine." The term "sans legs" may not imply that the wyvern was "without legs", rather that its legs are not depicted, being hidden or folded under. This was adopted by the Midland Railway in