Where did vampires really come from? And why have humans been afraid of them for thousands of years?

From ancient Mesopotamia and Eastern European folklore to Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, Mercy Brown and modern vampire culture, this episode explores the dark and fascinating history behind one of the world's most enduring monsters.

Long before vampires became seductive, mysterious characters in films and television, they were feared as undead creatures blamed for disease, death and unexplained tragedies.

In this episode, we uncover:

🧛 The ancient origins of vampire legends — from Mesopotamia and ancient Greece to the vampire folklore of Eastern Europe.

🩸 The diseases that may have inspired vampire myths, including porphyria, rabies an ...