Roman Empire

Roman Empire refers to a 2023 TikTok trend where people would ask their male partners how often they thought about the Roman Empire to which the majority responded with pretty often. 

It has since evolved into a catchphrase referring to something one thinks about very often.

How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

The trend originated in 2023 after Swedish influencer Saskia Cort encouraged her followers to ask their male partners how often they thought about the Roman Empire. American followers took note and the trend quickly spread in North America after Instagram user @gaiusflavius posted a Reel promoting followers to ask their male partners how often they thought about the Roman Empire. The trend then took hold on X (formerly known as Twitter) and TikTok where it gained popularity and spurned another trend known as “My Roman Empire.”

What does "My Roman Empire" mean?

After the “How often do you think of the Roman Empire” trend went viral people began using the phrase “this is my Roman Empire” to refer to things they thought about often. Numerous memes emerged using this phrase as a way to mark specific and niche pop culture events. 

For example, a user could reference a specific Timothee Chalamet SNL skit performance as their “Roman Empire,” while another user can refer to a niche storyline in the popular TV show Sex and the City as their Roman Empire. Overall the phrase has come to refer to a niche or specific obsession, interest or event that has a considerable impact or influence on someone.