If you’ve ever wondered what Elon Musk is really up to between running SpaceX, Tesla, and posting chaotic tweets, you might be surprised to learn that he sees himself not just as a tech mogul—but as a modern-day Roman emperor on a mission to save the world.
Yes, really.
Musk isn’t just dreaming of Mars; he’s also deeply fascinated with Ancient Rome, and he’s not exactly subtle about it.
From naming his children after legendary Roman figures to dressing like a gladiator, the billionaire has woven Roman themes into nearly every corner of his personal and professional life.
Surrogates, Scrolls, and a “Legion” of Kids
Let’s start with Musk’s family—if you can keep track of them. Musk has at least 14 children, and possibly more if you believe recent whispers.
One of his youngest sons is named Romulus, a nod to Rome’s mythological founder.
Musk even texted one of the mothers of his children, Ashley St Clair, about using surrogates to hit “legion-level” before doomsday.
This is part of Musk’s bigger obsession with fertility.
He’s convinced that low birth rates caused the fall of Rome—and could doom America too.
“Rome fell because Romans stopped making Romans,” he once said.
For him, making more children isn’t just personal—it’s political.
The “New Rome” and Musk’s Mars Vision
Musk often refers to the U.S. as a “late-stage empire,” comparing it to Ancient Rome in its final days.
His solution? Multi-planetary life.
Through SpaceX, he’s racing to build a “New World” on Mars, where humanity might start fresh if things fall apart on Earth.
In Musk’s mind, this isn’t just about space—it’s about civilization itself.
“There’s high urgency to making life multi-planetary,” he warned last year.
“We’ve got to do it while civilization is still strong.”
Gladiators, Costumes, and Creepy Salutes
It’s not all scholarly stuff, though.
Musk leans heavily into the aesthetics of ancient Rome.
He’s been spotted on red carpets in full gladiator gear, complete with a $10,000 breastplate.
He’s posted AI-generated images of himself as a Roman warrior and even challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a duel in the actual Coliseum.
But not everything about his Roman cosplay is playful.
At Trump’s inauguration rally, Musk delivered a stiff-armed gesture some likened to a Nazi salute.
Supporters defended it as a “Roman salute,” though historians say there’s little evidence the Romans ever used it.
Books, Scrolls, and $3 Million to Decode the Past
Behind the theatrics, Musk genuinely funds the study of antiquity.
He donated $3 million to research on Ancient Rome and launched the “Vesuvius Challenge,” a competition to decode scrolls buried in volcanic ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.
He even hired a winner from that challenge to work with his team.
Musk often recommends books like Julius Caesar’s The Gallic Wars and Twelve Against the Gods to followers as essential reading.
Musk’s Darker Roman Fantasies
But Musk’s admiration for Rome isn’t just about architecture and military glory.
He’s suggested America could use a “modern-day Sulla”—a Roman general infamous for a bloody coup and mass executions of political enemies.
This has raised eyebrows among historians.
Mike Duncan, a noted Roman history podcaster, says many men, like Musk, are drawn to the idea of Rome as a place where strong men ruled and women had no real power.
“In some ways, ancient Rome is a safe place for macho fantasies,” said classicist Mary Beard.
Masculinity, Power, and the Manosphere
Musk isn’t alone.
Steve Bannon reportedly has a bust of Julius Caesar in his recording studio.
Andrew Tate, the controversial influencer, praises Rome as the ideal society—brutal, effective, and masculine.
Historians like Duncan warn that this version of Roman admiration is often a way for men to feel nostalgic for a time when masculinity reigned and women were sidelined.
Some even blame modern social issues—like gender roles and immigration—for society’s perceived decline, using Rome’s fall as a cautionary tale.
When History Becomes a Mirror
At the end of the day, the fascination with Rome—whether it’s Musk or anyone else—often reveals more about the present than the past.
People use history to reflect their own beliefs, fears, and ambitions.
Musk sees Rome not just as a lost empire, but as a warning.
And maybe, in his mind, he’s the last emperor standing between us and collapse.