Dacian Draco as from Trajan's Column
Rich and diverse, the Dacian mythology is overshadowed by the Greek or Roman mythologies. It stands out particularly for its wolf cult, for its fantastic characters such as the werewolf or the vampire and for the unabandoned elements which gave birth to the Romanian folklore.
The Dacian mythology, predecessor of the Romanian mythology, is made up of myths, legends, heroes, fantastic creatures, rituals, stories and traditions, being closely related to the main European mythologies, the Greek and the Roman ones.
The Dacian mythology was formed on Transylvania’s current territory, being firmly rooted in Cucuenti Culture, the oldest European civilization, dating from 5600 BC to 3500 BC, preceding by a few hundred years the human settlements from Sumer and Ancient Egypt.
The Dacian people were, according to Herodotus, "the richest and most righteous of the Thracians". The Dacians venerated a small number of gods but with well-defined responsabilities. Since the advent of the Prophet Zamolxis in Dacia, the Dacian religion becomes monotheist, this prophet being divinized after death and considered the supreme god.
The Dacians considered themselves immortal, for them death was only a passage from the material world to the spiritual world, that of the dead, over which their god Zamolxis ruled. That is why, before wars or droughts, they sent the most daring young Dacians to Zamolxis. The young man was chosen after some competitions. The historian Herodotus tells of the land referencing ritual as follows: "some of them, sitting in a row, keep up three spears, and others, grasping the one sent to Zamolxis by hands and feet, and if he does not die, then I blame him on the ground, and if he does not die, then he blames him for a moment, and then, winding him, throws him up over the spears' that he is a wicked man: and when he blaspheth him, they send another one, and all that they require shall say unto the earth while he is alive".
The outstanding bravery of Dacians due to their belief in immortality, made some Greeks to develop the hypothesis that the Greek god of war, Ares would have been born in Dacia.
Dacian Pantheon[]
The essence of the Dacians’ religion is the soul’s immortality. According to their beliefs, the soul travels to Zamolxe’s realm after physical death.
- Zamolxis - Supreme deity, who gradually took the place of other gods and became the only deity.
- Gebeleizis - God of thunder, lightning and rain, the supreme deity before Zamolxis.
- Bendis - Goddess of the moon, forests and charms, love and maternity.
- Derzelas - God of health, abundance, underworld and human spirit's vitality.
- Dionysus - God of the grape harvest, wine, fertility and theatre.
- Kotys - The mother-goddess.
- Pleistoros - The god of war.
- Sabazios - The horseman and sky-father god.
The Werewolf, Protector of the Dacians[]
The oldest mentioning of the werewolf comes from 6th century BC and has its origins on the actual territory of Transylvania, according to the ancient historian Herodotus, all of this happening centuries before any other European references in regard with this subject.
The Legend of the Great White Wolf states that in lost times, a high priest of Zamolxis was roaming through Dacia’s forests in order to help the needy. Zalmoxis realizing the potential of his servant, called him into the mountains to be close to him. Far beyond human territory, the beasts of Dacia considered him their leader, wolves appreciating him the most. After some time Zalmoxis summoned him and asked him to serve in another way, and with his approval, the deity transformed him into a large and mighty White Wolf, the most respected and feared beast from all of Dacia. His purpose was to gather all the wolves from the forests and protect Dacia when needed. Whenever the Dacians were in danger, the wolves came to their aid when they heard the howl of the Great White Wolf.
The incorrect international adaptation of the werewolf concept, due to the lack of information and folklore research, reinvented him as a negative character, although according to the Dacian mythology this creature has a divine role of man’s protector.
The Dacians used to call themselves “daoi”, a word inherited from the ancient Phrygian language, daos, meaning wolf, as they had a strong connection to these animals. Their battle flag called Draco was formed out of a wolf’s head with its mouth wide open alongside the body of a dragon, symbolizing the spirit of this vivid animal guardian.
Thus, the basic legend of the Great White Wolf has its origins in the Dacians’ respect for the wolf and from this picture the werewolf idea came to life. However, its purpose was a noble one, as the werewolf was protecting the Dacian people in times of war.
The Vampire, Spirits of the Unworthy[]
The vampire, a malefic supernatural character which feeds on human blood, initially appeared in the ancient Sumerian, Assyrian and Jewish mythologies as a nocturnal demonic creature, feeding on children’s blood.
The Indo-European populations generated in the Eurasian region, in the vicinity of the Sumerian, Assyrian and Jewish people. The Indo-Europeans spawned among others the Romans, Greeks and Dacians, took the vampire concept and spread it throughout Europe.
The Dacians' myths adapted these creatures’ themes, in their conception the vampires are spirits of the deceased not worthy of entering the realm of Zamolxis.
Kogaionon, the Mythical Mountain[]
The mountain in which Zamolxis was the seat of the Dacian high priest. Graved by the Greeks, the mountain was not identified. The assumptions have brought to light famous mountain peaks such as Gugu, Ceahlaul, Gradistii Hill, Man, each with pros and cons. Certain semantic similarities in some Greek sources impose the first hypothesis, the meaning of the name imposes on man, and also the Sphinx in the seeming to have a special significance.
Strabon writes about Zamolxis' retreat cave: "So this mountain was recognized as sacred and so called the Getae; his name, Kogaionon, was the same as the evil flowing along." This quote presents an interesting hypothesis: the more important name of the river, after which the mountain was called, so the mountain is near a bad river. It is also known that the Dacians built a large dwelling in the cave for Zamolxis, thus the ruins of this dwelling must be found in the cave. The authors point out that the Dacians named their priests "traveling through the clouds" which suggests a very high peak for the location of this mountain.
Dacian Priests[]
They are found under three names: kapnobatai, polistai and ktistai. The term kapnobatai means "those who walk through the clouds". This name corresponds to the fact that the ascetic priests lived on the high peaks always covered by clouds and fog. Polistai translates as "founders of cities" which might mean that this priestly cast could be a teacher. In favor of this hypothesis also comes the fact that the tribe from which Jesus was the "teacher", the Essenes were compared to the Dacian polishers. Ktistaii, the "founders of the nation", could be a priestess priest who practices medicine. It is also known the existence of a priestess caste which was preached with the small courage and actively participated in the battles, Vezina being a famous example of the priest present on the battlefield.
Mythological Theories[]
- The Dacians called themselves "daoi" meaning "wolves" or "ones the same with wolves".
- Dacians draw their name from a god or a legendary ancestor who appeared as a wolf.
- The name of Zamolxis comes from the dacian word for “earth” which is zamol.