TikToker’s Bold Assertion Puts Historians in the Hot Seat

Social Media can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it gives users a chance to entertain new ideas, test out new tactics, and engage with others almost instantaneously, but on the other hand, the backlash will most assuredly be quick and precise. One TikTok user is finding out just how quickly after her post on Ancient Rome went viral in the worst way. 

Just The Beginning

TikTok user @Momllenial_ posted videos on her belief that the Roman Empire wasn't ‘real.' After revealing that, she thought it was more of ‘a figment of the Spanish Inquisition's imagination.' Signed under the name Donna D2, the TikToker lists a bachelor's degree in anthropology and history as the basis for her expertise. 

Viral Outrage

When the first of Momllenial_'s videos hit TikTok, several commenters made their videos to refute her ‘facts.' 

One user, whose handle is theaidanmattis, posted this video slamming momllenial_'s claim about not having any original Roman documents, which was a hot point for academics in her viral videos.

@theaidanmattis

In which she gets THE MOST BASIC of facts wrong…tiktok this is still academic fact checking #momllennial #rome #conspiracy #theory #phantomtime #history #pseudohistory #archaeology #historytiktok

♬ original sound – Aidan Mattis

Repercussions

In late 2021, Donna D2 was clocking around 100,000 followers on her original TikTok account. She created a second account, @momllenial_returns. This second account is running at 10.5K followers, despite a video from Donna D2 stating that her original account was up and running after an appeal to TikTok administrators. 

One can only assume whether it's because of this whole Roman Empire debacle or not. We can, however, draw some correlations between her views on the empire of Rome, their Greek counterparts, and other issues she discusses and the fact that she has a backup account because her original TikTok was shut down. 

Called Out

One look at TikTok, and you'll find no shortage of videos calling momllenial_ out for her infuriating statements that other users completely disagree with. Sometimes, it's just witty banter; other times, people post evidence of fact-checking statements momllenial had made previously on her account.  

What is absolutely crystal clear, however, is that what started on TikTok didn't stay on TikTok. X (formerly Twitter) also joined in on the ‘Rome didn't exist' issue. Interestingly enough, History.net also chimed in on the viral videos, aiming for momllenial_'s claim that the oldest Latin poem in existence, the Qsar Ibrim, was written in Greek. 

Que Sera, Sera

The idea that “whatever will be will be” has existed for a while. People use it when reminding others that no matter how they feel about something, it won't change what it is. No matter what momllenial_, theaidanmattis, or anyone else posts on social media, it won't change the fact that Hadrian's wall still exists or that there are clear documents that prove the existence of Rome. Debates on topics of import can be fun as long as everyone remembers to fact-check their sources. 

Source: X, TikTok, Insider, History.