In a classic example of modern meets ancient, the Roman Empire has been trending on TikTok lately. While it’s not unusual for the social media platform to give birth to unusual trends, talking about an age-old civilization out of nowhere does seem odd. For the uninitiated, the Roman Empire lasted from 27 B.C. to 476 A.D. Let’s take a look at the question that led to the trend going viral on TikTok, along with some examples of the Roman Empire’s resurgence on the internet.
Roman Empire trend on TikTok explained
Let’s break down the trend and understand how it really works. First, women ask their male partners a simple question: “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” Their responses often surprise each other as it seems to be on their mind way more than expected.
How often do you think about the Roman Empire? Our TODAY family is weighing in on the TikTok debate — and they all have very different opinions 😂 pic.twitter.com/RcA7Cp0dUt
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 15, 2023
The trend’s origins can be traced back to Swedish influencer Artur Hulu, who is also a Roman reenactor. Earlier last month, he encouraged his followers to pose this question to their significant others. He claimed that women might be surprised by the answers they receive.
And it turns out he was right. Most reactions seem to be of genuine surprise. It looks like male fascination and the ancient Roman civilization are deeply intertwined. This set the stage for a social media phenomenon that has taken over TikTok by storm.
Apparently there is a TikTok trend where women ask men how often they think about the Roman Empire. pic.twitter.com/qGrtoKaRSb
— Harrison H. Smith ✞ (@HarrisonHSmith) September 15, 2023
Husbands, boyfriends, fathers, and brothers have all participated in this trend. Their love for the Roman Empire lies in movies like Gladiator or philosophies like stoicism, which dates back to Marcus Aurelius.
Examples of the Roman Empire TikTok trend
So, why are men obsessed with the Roman Empire? The reactions from the TikTok videos are pretty self-explanatory. Some men have said they often think about its historical significance, especially gladiators, architecture, and the empire’s vastness.
The trend is not just about reactions. It has paved the way for humor and showcasing talent. In one video, a TikTok user seemed to be a serious Roman Empire fan as he constructed a detailed Colosseum replica on Minecraft. This took him weeks to complete.
@leeleelance he got so defensive😭😭 once a week is insane
In another video, a group of men watching football wait for their partners to leave the room. Once they do, they watch a Roman Empire documentary together. Some have even joked referencing rapper Nicki Minaj’s rap album.
@kirakosarin “theres so much to think about!” 🫠 #romanempire
Singers Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose took part in the Roman Empire trend on TikTok. The country musician said he thinks about the historic era around 15-20 times a day. Actress Kira Kosarin asked her fiance the same question to which he replied three times a day.
More details about the viral TikTok trend
Fans of ‘Suits’ claim that the Roman Empire trend of TikTok was born out of a scene from the show. In the scene, Meghan Markle’s Rachel runs into Patrick J Adams’ Mike Ross listening to an audiobook called Fall of the Roman Empire on his headphones.
https://www.tiktok.com/@debodell/video/7279425461938146602?embed_source=121355059%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&refer=embed&referer_url=nypost.com%2F2023%2F09%2F18%2Froman-empire-tiktok-trend-did-it-begin-on-meghan-markles-suits%2F&referer_video_id=7279425461938146602
So far, the #RomanEmpire hashtag on TikTok has garnered over 1.1 billion views. It’s become a gender-based trend on TikTok similar to ‘girl math.’ A female equivalent of this trend is already up with people asking, “How often do you think about your ex-best friend?”
You can share questions about the Roman Empire trend on TikTok. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
