Leon (, "Lion") served in the Hellenic Royal Navy from 1912–1941. The ship, along with her three sister ships of Wild Beast class destroyers Aetos, Ierax and Panthir was ordered from England. They were purchased ready for delivery, each for the sum of £148,000, from the English shipyards Camell Laird in Liverpool, when the Balkan Wars seemed likely. These ships had originally been ordered by Argentina; Panthir was originally named Tucuman.