Roma Invicta

[LDAHL]

I keep seeing this meme of American men thinking about the Roman Empire more frequently than you might expect. I would guess that my own thoughts touch on it maybe 5-10 times per week, mostly due to my reading and podcast habits. I’m not sure if I can think of an equivalent female interest. Maybe true crime.

[iris lilies]

I do not even know what you’re talking about. I guess it is not a female interest!

[Alan]

I didn't know this was a thing until a couple of days ago when the NY Post decided to tell us it was, or at least that it is among women talking about their husbands on TikTok.

I'll have to admit that I probably think of the Roman Empire a dozen or so times per week, mainly in terms of roads and aqueducts which have survived for nearly 2000 years, architecture, democracy, republicanism, orgies and of course, Caesar Salad.

[bae]

I'm not a good datapoint here. I taught my daughter Latin/Greek in elementary school(*). She's now a Fellow at St. John's/Cambridge, and we chat about relevant Roman matters all the time.

[Yppej]

I am always thinking about the Founding Fathers and overthrowing tyrannical governments.

[flowerseverywhere]

Conn Iggulden wrote a wonderful 5 book series set in the time of Julius Caesar. I coincidentally found him after reading his riveting Genghis Khan series. A very talented British Author.

in Catholic school I had to learn Latin but I remember little, but have kept a basic French literacy. However I often recognize Latin derived words in our English language.

Per a quick search, the Roman Empire memes are all over Reddit, tik tok, instagram, X and other platforms I ignore.

it might be fun to use words in ordinary sentences like “There was a legion of people at the grocery store” today and see people’s reactions.

[Rogar]

I must tune into the wrong news. The most I've ever though about the Romans is from the series "Detectorists", where they are always looking for buried Roman gold hoards. And Time Team that does ancient British excavations of all eras in a BBC series. I have a minor concept of the Roman timeline for occupation of the British Isles.

I suspect I could be missing the entire concept of why the Roman Empire would suddenly be of interest and if there are some sort of cultural analogies to modern times.

[Simplemind]

Sitting here in Portland I think of Nero all the time.......................

[bae]

I suspect I could be missing the entire concept of why the Roman Empire would suddenly be of interest and if there are some sort of cultural analogies to modern times.

Well, I find Cicero’s orations concerning Cataline still quite appropriate to inform modern times. (They made us memorize these back in school!)

I'd begin at the beginning, with the first Catilinarian oration.

[iris lilies]

I must tune into the wrong news. The most I've ever though about the Romans is from the series "Detectorists", where they are always looking for buried Roman gold hoards. And Time Team that does ancient British excavations of all eras in a BBC series. I have a minor concept of the Roman timeline for occupation of the British Isles.

I suspect I could be missing the entire concept of why the Roman Empire would suddenly be of interest and if there are some sort of cultural analogies to modern times.
Awwww, I love Detectorists!

[LDAHL]

Well, I find Cato's orations concerning Cataline still quite appropriate to inform modern times. (They made us memorize these back in school!)

I'd begin at the beginning, with the first Catilinarian oration.

Wasn’t that Cicero?

[bae]

Indeed, Cicero. Brain-to-keyboard interface failure.

[LDAHL]

Indeed, Cicero. Brain-to-keyboard interface failure.

Keyboard delenda est!

[bae]

Keyboard delenda est!

Exactly the source of the problem. Both grumpy Roman orators, both names start with C, end with o, and rhyme.

[Alan]

"I have a message from the Green Hornet. Thanks for the editorial." ~ Kato (with a K)

[bae]

"I have a message from the Green Hornet. Thanks for the editorial." ~ Kato (with a K)

"Not now, Cato!"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu1RZaFnkKs

[pinkytoe]

This makes me think of Zuckerberg's Caesar style hairdo.

[ewomack]

I'm not completely sure that I understand the meme's purpose - I'm sure many men and women think about the Roman Empire (Mary Beard is a salient example of a woman scholar who probably thinks about the Roman empire constantly).

As for me, I read Seneca, so that's pretty Roman empire. Otherwise, I read about the Cynics, who are more Greek, but they were closer to the Roman Empire temporally than I will ever be. So, I admit I think about ancient Rome quite a bit.

[LDAHL]

“It is more civilized to make fun of life than to bewail it.”

[iris lilies]

Recently an “influencer” I check talked about how none of the men in her life think about Rome and things Roman because…they are Jewish (?)

Were it not for this thread I would not understand what the hell she was talking about.

[Alan]

we’re not for this thread I would not understand what the hell she was talking about.
I still don't understand.

[LDAHL]

Exactly the source of the problem. Both grumpy Roman orators, both names start with C, end with o, and rhyme.

Both came to bad ends.

[LDAHL]

Recently an “influencer” I check talked about how none of the men in her life think about Rome and things Roman because…they are Jewish (?)

Were it not for this thread I would not understand what the hell she was talking about.

“What have the Romans ever done for us?”