Were there real dragons?

Do you mean were there ever actual, living, giant reptiles
which could fly and breathe fire? I believe it is safe to say, at least
from a scientific perspective, that almost certainly no such creature ever
lived. Of course, many cultures, most notably the Chinese, but many
others as well, have had myths and legends of dragons, but I am not aware
of any credible evidence of any sort: historical, archaeological,
paleontological or otherwise that dragons have ever lived. Of course,
there is the Komodo dragon–an interesting lizard which lives in the East
Indies, but I am assuming that is not what you are talking about.

Do you mean, from a biblical perspective, have there ever been
dragons? The answer, again, is no. There is one passage in Job which, in
the King James Version of the Bible was translated dragon, but no modern
translations use the term, presumably because the Hebrew word used does
not support that translation. What one is left with is the references to
Satan in the book of Revelation as a dragon. This occurs several times in
Revelation 12 and 13. Anyone reading these passages will instantly know
that the writer of Revelation is using symbolic language to describe
Satan. This is certainly not a reference to some sort of physical,
reptile-like fire breather.

John Oakes