[sebastiennight]

Ever since I've heard of the meme that "modern men can't spend 24 hours without thinking of the Roman Empire", I haven't been able to escape it, even on days where my only contact with the outside world is HN.

I guess it's like a curse, once you've heard about it you're doomed.

And for anyone finding out about it just now, alea jacta est

[frollogaston]

There used to be some SF Italian restaurant that showed first if you Googled "SPQR." Their SEO was stronger than Rome. I don't even live near there.

I think this meme has bumped the real SPQR back to the top.

[sverhagen]

I need an faq or something then, to figure out what's wrong with me for never thinking of the Roman Empire. Except now then.

[Moru]

It's only a certain type of man that they are talking about. We are not that type of men I guess. Can't say I know anyone what that problem to be honest. And yes, I have heard that saying before. Didn't work then and doesn't work now.

[sph]

It's extremely easy if you're immersed in Southern European culture.

Moru -> Flag of Sardinia, whose Wikipedia page incidentally I was reading yesterday (the Four Moors, "is cuatru morus") -> Sardinian language -> grammatically still the closest language to Latin -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire

---

Reminds me of the fantastic, unreleased Monty Python sketch about memory association: https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4?si=3Yb17jvGp-1vn6de&t=2058

Also, Monty Python -> The Life of Brian -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire

[sd9]

I just lost the game

[ZeWaka]

ugh

[michaelsshaw]

Join the club of people who acknowledge that there's much more interesting history than that, and you'll suddenly forget all about Rome.

[AlecSchueler]

For me it's not so much what's interesting as what affects my day to day. I love Chinese history but I'm unlikely to come across anything today with origins in Chinese law, or traverse the path of a Chinese road, or use an interesting word with a Chinese etymology and an associated story from old China.

[sebastiennight]

I love learning new history and I'm open to suggestions. Any less-trodden paths you'd recommend?

[michaelsshaw]

For national history, Chinese is probably my favorite by far.

May I suggest you do a domain-specific history dive, such as the history of computing, the history of science or some other subject you may enjoy more. That's the real good stuff.

[thecupisblue]

It's so funny to see this be a worldwide phenomenon. As someone who grew up playing in the ruins of Roman temples & villas and was obsessed with it as a child, it almost feels like people are talking about "some other Rome".

[sebastiennight]

I grew up in a school system which taught us about "our ancestors, the Gauls"...

Which is fun if you're an Asterix fan, but one day you end up asking yourself - wait, we're in an ex-French colony here, but how much Gaul blood does anyone have in this place really?

[kruffalon]

Thank you for reminding me, this is so fun to have bobbing around in the back of your mind! :D