Men's fascination with the Roman Empire has taken TikTok by storm, as a recent trend prompted women to ask the men in their lives how often they think about the ancient civilization. The app exploded with responses from husbands, boyfriends, dads, and friends, revealing that many men think about the Roman Empire multiple times a week, if not every day. One TikToker, Allie Ninfo, posted a video asking her boyfriend how often he thinks about it, and he admitted to thinking about it about three times a week. He expressed his interest in the era, stating, "A lot of cool stuff happened back then," and even mentioned that he owns Marcus Aurelius' book. He has been fascinated by the Roman Empire since his teenage years.

Former “Bachelorette” Hannah Brown also participated in the trend, asking her fiance, Adam Woolard, the same question. He revealed that he thinks about the Roman Empire "pretty consistently" due to his passion for martial arts. He explained, "Every time I fight people, I think about walking into the Coliseum. Like, if this is a fight to the death and people around are cheering, I have to win." Woolard went on to discuss his thoughts on the Roman Empire in terms of politics and society, emphasizing the importance of battle and the warrior spirit.

Amy Briggs, editor-in-chief of National Geographic History Magazine, explained that the Roman Empire continues to captivate people due to its enduring legacy. She mentioned that there are numerous Roman feats that still resonate today, such as aqueducts, roads, monuments, temples, theaters, stadiums, works of art, and literature. She highlighted that the remnants of this culture are everywhere, waiting to be explored.

Briggs suggested that men, in particular, are drawn to the Roman Empire because of their natural interest in engineering and the military. Rome's extensive engineering projects, such as roads and aqueducts, required innovative design and a complex labor force. Men are intrigued by the challenge of building these structures with the existing technology of the time. The military aspect also appeals to men's fascination with organization, discipline, and the logistics of housing forces in hostile territories.

According to Briggs, the accessibility of Roman artifacts and the abundance of material from that time period contribute to the ongoing fascination with the empire. She mentioned that Roman men were prolific writers, leaving behind a wealth of literature. Additionally, people have been obsessed with Rome for ages, resulting in a vast amount of writings about the empire.

Interestingly, the Roman Empire also had a significant impact on the Founding Fathers of the United States. They adopted Roman aliases when writing their pamphlets and op-eds, and they read Edward Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." The Founding Fathers were concerned about the United States becoming a parallel to the licentious Roman Empire, reflecting their obsession with Rome.

Briggs concluded that the popularity of the Roman Empire stems from its compelling stories. The empire is filled with situations of political intrigue, dysfunctional families, and a growing empire as a backdrop. She noted that both fiction and history are full of these stories, and they become even more compelling because they actually happened.

For those interested in learning more about the Roman Empire, National Geographic offers extensive coverage on its website.