Upon the heads of the beast is a blasphemous name, and upon the horns are royal crowns. The beast has seven heads and ten horns, the same as the dragon in Revelation 12:3-4, showing its close connection with pagan Rome.
John describes the beast as it emerges from the water. The sea symbolizes the largely populated area of Europe out of which the sea beast rises to power after the downfall of the Roman Empire ( Rev.