So, here's the thing. Over the last few months I've taken it upon myself to search out why people seem to think werewolves and vampires had this huge war that turned them into enemies, etc. etc. I started to notice a trend on the various websites I visited: the Trajanic Wars. Supposedly, these are the wars that involved werewolves and vampires. Well, that's crap and I wrote a little mini-essay about it that I thought I'd share here. Enjoy.
The Truth About the Trajanic Wars
Therians/Weres and vampires everywhere have heard to some degree of the animosity that supposedly exists between the two parties. Most will admit that the source of their claim is from various forms of media, such as the movie Underworld. Others try to stake claim on an obscure war in the past, stating that this is what caused the rift between these two creatures. And, yes, people who tend to believe this way also tend to believe that therians and vampires do not reside in a human body. Personal beliefs cannot be outright attacked, not without resulting in a game of tug of war, but historical fact can be challenged. The war these misconceived people turn to is the Trajanic Wars, or more correctly the war between Rome and the Dacian civilization.
Rome, at the time of the last of these wars, was led by Trajan—hence the name Trajanic War (though, it is more accurately called Dacian Wars by most historians). Trajan was considered a great military leader and through his attack on Dacia and, later, Parthia he managed to push the Roman Empire to the farthest that it would reach in its history.
The first of the Dacian Wars lasted from 101-102 AD. There were clashes earlier, dating as far back as 82 BC. The Emperor Domitian led Rome into the first battles against Dacia. The Romans were initially defeated, but revived and fought back shortly afterward. After a few short battles, peace was declared.
The second Dacian War occurred in a fashion that resembles wars of today: it was fueled by the promise of gold. Due to the fact that Emperor Nero had practically drained the Empire of resources and had cut funding for the military, the idea of taking over a land rich in resources was rather grand. It was as Rome was preparing for war that Trajan became Emperor, in the year 101 AD. At this time the Romans put their architectural abilities to use by building bridges and columns to aid the armies as they fought their Dacian enemies. The war only last a few months, with Rome coming out as victorious.
With their peace agreement, a man by the name of Decebalus was given resources to reinforce Rome’s control over Dacia. Instead of honoring the agreement, he used the money and tools to strengthen Dacia as an independent empire. Shortly after this, revolts were occurring in Dacia against the Romans and the people of Dacia began to pillage Roman colonies near the Dacian border.
Eventually, Rome had to retaliate. This started the last Dacian War. In the end, Dacia bended to Rome’s will and handed over full control.
The land conquered by Rome would eventually develop the Romanian language, a very culture that is connected to the lore of vampires and werewolves. Perhaps this is where the idea that these wars were where a great betrayal occurred, rendering werewolves and vampires enemies for all time.
Well, the truth of the matter is that vampires did not rule the land of Dacia as so many claim and they did not betray their servant werewolves to the human Romans, nor did any other variant of this story occur. The idea that it did is nothing more than fable. To claim it as fact is to offend history and the true facts that are available. Not only that, but the idea of Roman's going against werewolves, instead of vampires, makes no sense when Rome was proud of the myth of Romulus and Remus, the twins raised by a she-wolf--which they actually stole from Etruscan myth. Not only that, Rome modeled a lot of their laws after Greek law and some of the rural areas of Greece actually had laws banning vampirism.
Notes on references: Wikipedia, various websites/books on Romania, and a website on the history of the vampire in the Mediterranean. Sadly, I lost the links to the websites, though I found them through Google.
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Erm...Lord, that is an excellent and very intellegent answer to a very dumb. You have some odd ways to pass the time.
Incidentally, do you believe that both Vampires and Werewolves roam the Earth, and actively dislike each other? No debates brewing, just wondering, for once.
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Werewolves and Vampires, in general, place no stock in this myth - it's all sensationalism.
There are a few (and I know one who is quite obviously very schizophrenic) who have built a personal mythology around the idea. they've pretty effectively convinced themselves that it's real. They haven't become convincing to the majority.
I have several friends in the vampire community. Again, Vampires aren't like the movie versions.
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YAY! now me and my vampire friends can stop fighting!!!
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maybe people have believed that they would be enemies because they are so dominant and both very controlling.
the vampires have to control their thirst.
Werewolves have to control their inner animal.
but usually in movies they have been portrayed as enemies and rivals.
and in other movies they have said to be enemies because they vampires used them as slaves.
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I pretty much agree with everything that has been said here, although I'm sure anyone who actually admits that this debunks the wars as a conflict between vampires and werewolves will just find other "proof." Just one thing, you should NEVER reference wikipedia, if you find something in it confirm it with other sources and reference those.
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There is a potential place where Hollywood did base its conception of a war at during Medieval Europe. There are tales about werewolves who were the Dogs of Heaven that were said to protect against Vampires and other beings supposedly working with the Devil. This version doesn't last too long in the myths because eventually werewolves were seen to work for the Devil as well and then another myth came about that after killing a werewolf, if it wasn't prepared for burial correctly then it would come back as a Vampire. I feel the concept of a full out war is pure fiction but there are some legends that would give people a basis for a war. In general all the myths do not apply as fact, especially as a basis for the actions of Today's communities.
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Well, think of it in the way of Underworld; the first werewolf and vampire were brothers. In this part of the argument it would seem important to take note that its not a war its just simple opposing forces, not in war again, but in nature. I mean, creatures do need their territory however small... a long life span might make that harder to find so one does not go around fighting their own (as much) but their equal.
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very excellent work i may use this myself... i think i agree territory for two prominent forces is a very important factor, and when two opposing forces match perhaps you can get a few clashes, and since blood is important for each then perhaps it coulda been fights over food. otherwise i am friends with a few vampires and in fact lend a haven to vampires and werewolfs and perhaps angelic and demonic forces from time to time...
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do anyone know what its called when a werewolf and vampire mate, what is the kid call. I'm a writer lol and i was just wondering. no one seem to know what you call the kid. =p
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lol the war is just a fab made up by Hollywood XD
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It may be made up but it won't stop my friends who are Vampires from getting into fights with me.
In the long run, it's just a form of "racism", if you will. Each Big Bad Predator thinking they the biggest and the baddest.
Vampires like to make the case there is more of them. Werewolves like to make the case one of them is stronger than 3 Vampires. Or something along those lines.
do anyone know what its called when a werewolf and vampire mate, what is the kid call. I'm a writer lol and i was just wondering. no one seem to know what you call the kid. =p
Werepyre/Werepire I think.
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im not denying tht vamps exit but i am saying that if you go back to the earliest recorded "ghost stories" about creatures that devour humans were and vamps had no distinction or seperable traits in my opinion both have evolved from the same type of being and for all we know it didnt stop there right now not one of us can say that there are only vamps and weres and thaTS all there is to say not one person knowsx all and in the same wave no person knows nothing
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Assuming such creatures exist (which I don't) I see no good reason why they should be mortal enemies grappled in an ancient struggle for control of night. Or whatever bullspit the Underworld/WOD crowd wants to spew.
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Only the old WOD seems to have a strong werewolf vs. vampire sentiment, but the newer stuff has completely redone a lot of it and fixed that. So I feel the new WOD better represents the relationship between the two, in that they tolerate each other and only really fight in the case of an extreme offense.
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