A "Vulcan" can refer to several things depending on the context:
- In Roman mythology, Vulcan is the god of fire, especially destructive fire such as volcanoes and conflagrations. He is equivalent to the Greek god Hephaestus and is known as the divine smith and craftsman of weapons and armor for the gods. His worship was ancient, and he was invoked to prevent fires. Vulcan's festival, the Volcanalia, was celebrated on August 23. His temples were usually outside the city due to his association with destructive fire.
- In popular culture, mostly known from Star Trek, Vulcans are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species from the planet Vulcan. They are known for their logical reasoning and suppression of emotion. They have notable physical traits such as pointed ears and arched eyebrows. Vulcans are vegetarians, live longer than humans, and have advanced mental and physical abilities. The most famous Vulcan character is Spock. The fictional planet Vulcan orbits the star 40 Eridani A and has an arid environment. Vulcans are integral to several Star Trek storylines and the United Federation of Planets.
So, depending on whether you mean mythology or science fiction, a Vulcan is either a fire god or a logical alien species from Star Trek.
