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Why Do Men Think About The Roman Empire So Often? The Viral Question And 'Roman Empire TikTok Trend' Explained
A viral trend is gaining traction on TikTok and elsewhere in which women ask the men their lives "How often do you think about the Roman empire?"
The question is so hilarious because of the surprising answers that men give, often revealing that they think about the ancient empire a little bit too much. Women are wondering why men think about it at all while men are wondering why women never think about it.
Is every husband, boyfriend, brother, father (etc.) a secret history nerd? Or is there something else going on? Let's explain.
What Is The 'How Often Do You Think About The Roman Empire?' Trend?
The trend in question involves women asking men how often they think about the Roman empire. To the surprise of the women behind the camera, the men often answer "every day" or "once a week."
The joke lies in how objectively strange it is to think about an ancient civilization so often. For women, the answer they receive indicates something about the man — something churning beneath his surface. Men's fascination with Rome seemingly makes them tick. Women are not comprehending why.
Many are wondering if it's a "red flag" if their male partner thinks about the Roman empire all the time. In some of the videos, the men sometimes answer "never," and in the comment section, many women joke, "He's a keeper."
Where Did The 'Roman Empire Trend' Start?
The "men think about the Roman empire" concept was originally discussed on the Swedish internet about a year ago. It started with a post from Swedish Instagram user Saskia Cort, who posted a series of iMessage and DM screenshots from people who responded to her then-recent Story in which she asked her followers how often their male partners and friends think about the Roman Empire.
Saskia Cort quickly gained media attention in Sweden for originating the strange phenomenon.
Flash forward to 2023, and an Instagram Reel posted by the account @gaiusflavius started the trend's resurgence on the American web. @gaiusflavius' page is almost entirely about the Roman empire, showing him cosplaying as warriors or talking about its history.
In the now-famous Reel, @gaiusflavius wrote, "Ladies, many of you do not realise how often men think about the Roman Empire. Ask your husband/ boyfriend/father/ brother you will be surprised by their answers!" In turn, women were very shocked.
Why Do Men Think About The Roman Empire So Often?
The answer to this question is ultimately up for interpretation. In accordance with some of the men's answers, it's about the influence of the Roman empire on modern society, as in, the creation of democracy, general philosophy and revolutionary city planning.
Others, like TikToker @themasculineedge, alleged that men have the desire to conquer; thus, they think about the Roman empire to escape reality. Additionally, @themasculineedge referenced Transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau's famous quote, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation."
Overall, the phenomenon says something about the nature of men. What that something is… Well, that's up for interpretation. Men could ask the same thing about why women need to be loved even if they were a worm. The mind of the opposite gender is truly an enigma for many.
For the full history of "How often do you think about the Roman Empire?" be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for even more information.