How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

[Savonarola]

Based on the Tik-Tok craze; how often do you think about the glory that was Rome?

For me, it depends on what I'm reading at the time, but probably once or twice a week I'll come across something that makes me think of the Roman Republic or Empire.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Roman Empire, probably weekly or less. Life in other historical eras, daily.

[HVC]

In one way or another probably once a week. But for the last little while daily because I've been listening to first, a history of Rome podcast, and now a history of Byzantium podcast.

[celedhring]

At least once a week. I listen/watch so many history related stuff that the Roman Empire always pops up in some way or other. For example this week I was watching a video on ancient naval combat.

[Jacob]

Not that often. Bi-weekly, maybe. Unless you count in recognizing Roman things when someone's randomly inserting Roman themed clip-art into a meme or whatever. That stuff pops up every few days.

I think about early iron age European things (a.k.a "viking stuff") on a daily basis though.

[Barrister]

I'm kind of a history nerd, but Roman Republic/high Roman Empire has never been a particular point of interest for me.  Obviously though given the huge impact it had on general European history I'm familiar with it.

How often does something "cross my mind" that brings up Rome?  Maybe weekly.  How often do I deeply ponded it?  Rarely.  I've been on a Ukrainian history kick, but the Roman Empire really had only trading contacts with the area.  There are no written records from the Scythians/early slavs, so the history of "Ukraine" doesn't really get going until those pesky vikings show up, which is well after the Roman era.

Byzantium of course is a different story, as I am a byzanto-fourtysomething.

[celedhring]

Byzantium of course is a different story, as I am a byzanto-fourtysomething.

No proper Byzantine wouldn't consider Byzantium the Roman Empire 

[Sheilbh]

How often does something "cross my mind" that brings up Rome?  Maybe weekly.  How often do I deeply ponded it?  Rarely.  I've been on a Ukrainian history kick, but the Roman Empire really had only trading contacts with the area.  There are no written records from the Scythians/early slavs, so the history of "Ukraine" doesn't really get going until those pesky vikings show up, which is well after the Roman era.

There was, by the by, a fantastic exhibition on the Scythians in the British Museum a few years ago - will have pubished some books on it if of interest:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/sep/17/scythians-warriors-of-ancient-siberia-british-museum-review

But I'm the same I probably think daily about something or other historical - but I've never really been into the classical world. Not sure why. What I think about probably fluctuates a bit depending on what I'm reading.

[Barrister]

Byzantium of course is a different story, as I am a byzanto-fourtysomething.

No proper Byzantine wouldn't consider Byzantium the Roman Empire 

Don't make frowny faces at me!

Byzantium is of course the continuation of the Roman Empire, and its residents continued to consider themselves "Roman", but it was a qualitatively different thing.  It was Greek, not Latin.  It was Orthodox, not Catholic (and certainly not Pagan).  And it exists into a much different era than the western half of the Empire ever did.

I mean - there's a reason we have a whole different term for it, even if the term wasn't used by the people who resided there.

[The Minsky Moment]

There are no written records from the Scythians/early slavs, so the history of "Ukraine" doesn't really get going until those pesky vikings show up, which is well after the Roman era.

Pontus ruled over Crimea and some of the coastal areas of the south during the era of Mithridates VI.  I think the Romans managed to keep some influence there in the late Republic and early empire.

[HVC]

Byzantium of course is a different story, as I am a byzanto-fourtysomething.

No proper Byzantine wouldn't consider Byzantium the Roman Empire 

Don't make frowny faces at me!

Byzantium is of course the continuation of the Roman Empire, and its residents continued to consider themselves "Roman", but it was a qualitatively different thing.  It was Greek, not Latin.  It was Orthodox, not Catholic (and certainly not Pagan).  And it exists into a much different era than the western half of the Empire ever did.

I mean - there's a reason we have a whole different term for it, even if the term wasn't used by the people who resided there.

Charlemagne's propaganda still working after all these years.


I approve btw

[viper37]

Based on the Tik-Tok craze; how often do you think about the glory that was Rome?

For me, it depends on what I'm reading at the time, but probably once or twice a week I'll come across something that makes me think of the Roman Republic or Empire.

Every day, every hour, every minute, every seconds.  I can't stop thinking about these Troyan ships, filled with refugees en route toward Italy to found a new city that would one day become Rome.


And of course, the Byzantine.  Who could forget about them?  Their last heroic charge, where all hope was lost, all dreams were crushed?

[Barrister]

There are no written records from the Scythians/early slavs, so the history of "Ukraine" doesn't really get going until those pesky vikings show up, which is well after the Roman era.

Pontus ruled over Crimea and some of the coastal areas of the south during the era of Mithridates VI.  I think the Romans managed to keep some influence there in the late Republic and early empire.

Oh for sure - the Romans controlled the cities along the black sea coast, and they did trade with the inhabitants further inland.  Roman history isn't completely divorced from "ukrainian" history - but the overlap is prety small all things considered.

[Sheilbh]

To be honest I always thought the Byzantine fanboi-ism was a bit

[mongers]

Several times this week, as I visited the Roman baths in Bath Spa on Tuesday evening, since I was passing on my way back from Wales.