Why the Roman Empire is suddenly everywhere online
It fell more than 1,500 years ago — so why is it dominating social media?
More than 1,500 years after its collapse in A.D. 476, the Roman Empire has seen a resurgence in the unlikeliest of settings — social media. Online users, predominantly on the video-sharing app TikTok, have been abuzz over the ancient domain thanks to a claim that men are, for some reason obsessed, with the Roman Empire.
Accuracy of the perception aside, the trend has gone viral. Across countless videos, men have admitted that they think about the Roman Empire constantly, with some of them claiming that thoughts of gladiators and plumed helmets enter their minds multiple times per day.
But why is this trend suddenly dominating internet discourse? Is it just another online gag, or are men's minds genuinely consumed with thoughts of the Roman Empire?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What is the crux of the trend?
It involves women recording interactions with men "in which they ask them how often they think about the Roman Empire or to share the last time they thought about it," Time reported. As most of the answers on social media show, "if you haven’t been thinking about the Roman Empire as frequently as every day or at least three to four times a month, you're doing it wrong," Time added, noting that most men in these videos appeared serious about their responses.
One man answered the question by stating he thinks about the Roman Empire "every other day," adding, "I thought about it yesterday. I thought about it today." Another said he thinks about it "three times a day" because the Roman Empire had "so much to think about!" A third answered the question by showing off a full-scale replica of the Roman Colosseum he built using the video game "Minecraft."
The trend may have originated with Roman Empire cosplayer Artur Hulu, who posted an Instagram video this past August noting that many women "do not realize how often men think about the Roman Empire." The video eventually went viral on multiple social media sites.
Are these viral videos joking or serious?
It's hard to say for sure, but some people seem to think the trend is more realistic than you might think. There are "any number of specific reasons why men might think a lot about the Roman Empire, to be sure, but in my experience, lots of people spend a lot of time thinking about history," historian David Perry wrote for CNN. "People like history."
"History is enthralling, and while access to sources is unequal for many reasons (what survives, what gets translated, what gets published cheaply), you can find fascinating stories from any place, time or topic," Perry added. He noted that "every time a stranger finds out that I’m a historian ... they start telling me about their favorite history."
Why do these men seem so enthused with the Roman Empire?
It could have something to do with the historical emphasis placed on the Roman Empire, much of which has survived into the modern day.
When most people think of the Roman Empire, they see "an image of the Roman legion, the imperial eagle and that sort of military aspect — along with gladiators, which has a long association with masculinity and power," historian Hannah Cornwell told The Washington Post. This type of worldview is typically considered stereotypically "cool" by most men, the Post noted.
The battle-centric history of Ancient Rome also probably plays a factor. "A lot of it probably can come back to a Roman history becoming equivalent to military history, and military history is definitely something that is always going to be more of interest to men than women, just on a practical level," Mike Duncan, host of the "History of Rome" podcast, told Rolling Stone.
Duncan also noted, though, that the image of the Roman Empire portrayed in popular culture isn't a reflection of most people who lived during the time. "A lot of the people who try to romanticize what the Roman Empire was ... imagine themselves being, you know, the senator in the fine toga laying on the side, being hand-fed grapes," he said. The reality, though, is that most people "would have died at the age of 28 because of an undiagnosed kidney stone while they were trying to plow their lands."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 29, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - history repeating, festive tariffs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Christmas trees: losing their magic?
In The Spotlight Festive firs are a yuletide staple but are their days numbered?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Why India is concerned at Bangladesh's 'Hinduphobia'
The Explainer Arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das stokes safety concerns for Hindu minority in Bangladesh
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Exploring Easter Island, one of the world's most remote inhabited islands
The Week Recommends It takes time and effort to travel to this mystical locale
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Chappell Roan is pushing boundaries by setting them
In the Spotlight She's calling out fans and the media for invasive behavior
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
'Age of barbarism': are we doing enough to protect young pop stars?
In The Spotlight Some argue that Liam Payne's death should lead to a ban on young pop stars
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, is dead at 88
Speed Read The musician wrote hit songs for Janis Joplin and Johnny Cash before starring in Hollywood movies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
10 concert tours to see this fall
The Week Recommends Rake in the changing of the leaves with a series of autumn shows
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Beast' of a lawsuit: YouTube star and Amazon sued by contestants over abuse claims
The Explainer Can the breakout YouTube star weather a growing scandal engulfing his forthcoming reality TV competition?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'No contact': Family estrangement is seeing an uptick with younger generations
The Explainer Young adults are setting firmer boundaries with parents, siblings and other relatives
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Trigger warnings on screen spark dissent
Talking Point Are they a measure of sensitivity or just unnecessary posturing?
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published