[imagesource:befunky]

By now every guy on the planet has been asked how often they think of the Roman Empire in a popular new trend that has been circulating on TikTok.

Videos tagged #RomanEmpire have amassed over 1.2 billion views, exposing the apparent strange ‘obsession’ men have with robes and gladiators. In these video clips, women have been expressing their astonishment as they uncovered that men appeared to ponder this historical topic quite regularly, with responses varying from monthly reflections to weekly musings, and even occasional daily thoughts.

It could be a weird coincidence, but it seems to be accurate and even before the trend was a trend, my niece asked me the loaded question as well. I had to admit that Ceasar had crossed my mind that day. I’m a dude, what else do we think of?

To women’s bafflement, men attribute these musings primarily to the fascination with elements like their swords, roads, and glorious armies.

Naturally, this has prompted women to ponder: if men think about the Roman Empire, what do they think about in turn? As a result, another trend has surged on social media, where women of all ages and walks of life have been sharing what they thought the girls’ version of the Roman Empire was.

According to TikTok, the female equivalent of this phenomenon is predominantly Greek Mythology.

Perhaps the fact that the genre features many strong female characters plays an important role in it. Some powerful, even inspiring goddesses range from Athena to Artemis, not to forget about Hera, the Olympian queen of the gods, the goddess of marriage and womanhood.

Moreover, Greek mythology is not short on symbolism and metaphors, with many myths containing symbolic elements that can resonate with women’s experiences.

The Titanic has also shown up as a strong contender for the equivalent of men’s fascination with Julius Caesar.

The true heartbreaking story of the ship’s wreckage was the subject of the Oscar-winning 1997 movie, and because of its romantic element, captivated the hearts of many women. More so, some analyses have also drawn the conclusion that the movie embodies women’s rebellion against imposed social norms and becoming free.

In addition to mythology and the Titanic, women apparently also ponder the royal family, North Korea, and Russia’s Romanov dynasty a lot. Joan of Arc and the Salem Witch trials also pop up frequently.

@paikallinendumbass vai onks se vaan mä 😭 #romanempire #history ♬ original sound – bonnie ⛧

It would seem women’s everyday obsessions aren’t as clear-cut as the men’s. Another video tries to explain what goes on in the fairer sex’s minds.

@itis.kat ok but we are basically all womem here so what do we think? #fyp #romanempire #womanequivalent #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Kat

The whole ‘What do you think of’ trend likely has deeper psychological meaning, or perhaps the lesson we can all learn from this is that men are simple creatures, while nobody knows what goes on in women’s minds. As my mom said when I got engaged: “What the hell is she thinking?”

Nobody knows.

[source:boredpanda]