What is the historical context for the phrase, "Hour of the Wolf"?

by im_a_goat_factory

I'm trying to find the answer this to help honor the passing of a friend.

I've only been able to find a few sources on placing the "wolf hour" or "hour of the wolf" at around 3-5am, or right before sunrise.

Some sources talk about how it is an ancient roman phrase, but other sources say it is an ancient Scandinavian concept that wolves chased the sun and moon across the sky. Both of these sources seem to reference a 1968 movie.

Is the hour of the wolf a real historical thing, or is it just a made up phrase for the movie?

Thanks

Platypuskeeper

The Swedish Academy's Dictionary does credit Ingmar Bergman with coining the Swedish term for the title of his 1968 film. Doesn't say if he got it from somewhere else.