Mark Zuckerberg’s 40th birthday party outfit has sparked a wave of speculation. The Meta Platforms, Inc. CEO’s attire, particularly a T-shirt with a Latin phrase, has led to a flurry of theories about its significance.
What Happened: Zuckerberg’s birthday party was organized by his wife, Priscilla Chan, and featured miniature replicas of significant places in his life.
However, it was Zuckerberg’s outfit that caught the attention of many. In particular, his T-shirt, which bore the Latin phrase “Carthago delenda est” (Carthage must be destroyed), raised eyebrows.
The phrase traces its origins to debates in the Roman Senate preceding the Third Punic War (149–146 BC) between Rome and Carthage. Cato the Elder, a prominent politician of the Roman Republic, purportedly concluded all his speeches with this phrase, advocating for the war.
It is also linked to Zuckerberg’s interest in Roman history, with his daughters being ...