I recently learned from a friend that there’s a surge in interest in ancient Rome. I looked online and found that it’s a TikTok thing. Bizarrely, men are asked how often they think of the Roman Empire. Equally bizarre, it appears that many respondents say they think about ancient Rome several times a day.
What’s driving this trend? And what might it say about contemporary Western society?
I can’t help but hope that the current popularity in ancient Rome is due to a renewed interest in history. As a history buff, I admit that I find ancient Rome fascinating. In fact, I’m currently reading a book set in the Late Roman Empire titled A World Full of Gods: The Strange Triumph of Christianity written by Keith Hopkins, Professor of Ancient History at Cambridge.
In addition to having a general interest in history, as a Contemporary Dark Pagan, I’m intrigued by the fact that Rome was a massive and multicultural Pagan society. The Roman Empire consisted of Hellenistic Paganism that coexisted with numerous local Pagan religions stretching from the Near East to Britain. And contrary to popular thought, Rome was very tolerant of non-Pagan religions such as Judaism, including the upstart Jewish heresy known as Christianity. These religions weren’t popular among Roman authorities, scholars, and philosophers, but as long as these groups were loyal, paid their taxes, and didn’t rock the boat, Rome largely tolerated these strange monotheists.
Interest in Rome isn’t new. The American Founding Fathers were intrigued by the Roman Republic with its dedication to the rule of law. This makes sense since the U.S., like Rome, during most of its history, hasn't been truly democratic. This is why so much of the architecture of Washington, D.C., has a Roman flare to it. Consider that next time you look at the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
However, I suspect many of those currently interested in ancient Rome aren’t motivated by a love of history. I suspect their motives are darker.
Historically, ancient Rome has had a reputation for being hyper-masculine. There is some truth to this. While same-sex relations occurred in ancient Rome just as any society, unlike Greece, they were publicly frowned upon by the establishment. And while Roman women had more legal rights than others in many ancient cultures, Roman society embodied patriarchy in structure and law.
This patriarchal aspect of Rome can be very appealing to some. Right now, current-day cavemen are busy trying their best to defend patriarchy. Look at how many men have gotten their undies in a wad over movies such as the rebooted Ghostbusters, Doctor Who, the Barbie movie, and more. Let’s not forget those whining about the Me-Too Movement or those claiming to be “Incels” (online groups of angry, misogynist, white, straight men boohooing about women refusing to have sex with them.) This defense of patriarchy is also found in the current rash of homophobia sweeping the country in the shape of anti-Trans legislation and book banning.
Another disturbing possible reason for the renewed interest in Rome is the recent rise in fascism. The Roman Empire has long been appealing to authoritarians. European Fascists of the 20s through 40s imagined themselves as heirs to the Roman Empire. Much of the tropes and imagery for fascists were copied from ancient Rome. Even the very name “fascism” has Roman roots. The current crop of fascist scum shares this same interest.
Let us hope that the positive reason for studying ancient Rome wins out.
