How many times do you think about the Roman Empire per day?

  • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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    1 month ago

    almost never, i dont quite understand the widespread gendered culturalur of Roman history.

    outside of the song Zero to Hero in Hercules, which is obviously amazing.

    no wait, that’s Greece.

    oh but then Hercules the name is Roman right?

    originallly heracles?

    oo boy

    • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 month ago

      Hopefully it’s understood that the “how often do you think of the Roman Empire per day” about men is a meme, it just so happens that I’ve quite enjoyed Roman history, and also happen to be a man.

      I wouldn’t say interest Roman history is a “man thing”, just that my own personal experience happened to be meme-able haha

      • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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        1 month ago

        ha, i definitely have known only men and many men who love to start talking about Roman history at the drop of a hat.

        It’s a meme, but it’s very anecdotally accurate in my experience.

        it has 100% of the time been a guy talking about “the thing about ancient rome!..” haha.

        “it’s like, they only took the best ideas, and then only improved on those ideas after adding them into their society!”

        “The reason Roman militaries were undefeated was their commitment to organization and efficiency. do you know about Hannibal? not the movie., a general. no, his son!”

        • MisterFrog@lemmy.worldOP
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          1 month ago

          “it’s like, they only took the best ideas, and then only improved on those ideas after adding them into their society!”

          Yikes 💀 I wonder if they really paid attention to all the slavery, patriarchy, oligarchy, incest (the whole, you’re not related unless it’s on your father’s side thing), genocide, etc lol

          I find it interesting because there is a lot about Roman society that’s more recognisable today than in the middle ages, the politics is exciting, and yeah, the organisation of the military is also fascinating.

          But I’m glad to not have yet met anyone who actually admires the Roman Empire. They were barbaric and cruel, often by ancient standards.

          • Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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            1 month ago

            haha, they definitely gloss over the child brides and slavery.

            It’s like " yeah but that was like a long time ago", and then in the same breath " The thing that proves their civilization’s superiority is the way they mixed their cement, look at these arches!"

            I’m always on edge waiting for someone enthralled by the roman civilization to eventually lean in and explain “you know, it used to be really normal to marry 13-year-olds. biologically…”

  • troglodytis@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Sometimes I think I’m thinking about the Roman Empire, but then it turns out I’m thinking about the Holy Roman Empire.

  • wjrii@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    My wife occasionally asks me to download books for her from Anna’s or Libgen. Recently, one was a survey and analysis of the Late Bronze Age Collapse by a noted scholar in the field.

    God I love that woman.