What Is The Meaning Behind Mark Zuckerberg’s Tee Shirt With Latin Phrase AUT ZUCK AUT NIHIL?

Over the past year, Zuckerberg has been embracing a more adventurous fashion sense, a notable departure from his signature hoodies and plain grey t-shirts.

At the Meta Connect developers’ event, Mark Zuckerberg made a bold statement, not just with his tech announcements but also with his attire. The CEO sported a custom black t-shirt emblazoned with the Latin phrase “AUT ZUCK AUT NIHIL,” a playful twist on the famous “Aut Caesar, aut nihil” which translates to “All Zuck, or all nothing.”

This isn’t Zuckerberg’s first foray into statement tees. Earlier this year, he celebrated his 40th birthday wearing a shirt that read “Carthago delenda est,” or “Carthage must be destroyed,” a phrase steeped in Roman history.

Over the past year, Zuckerberg’s fashion choices have become increasingly striking, a departure from his signature hoodies and plain grey t-shirts. This sartorial evolution seems to reflect his well-known passion for Roman history. A self-proclaimed fan, he has often spoken about his fascination with the subject. He’s also expressed his enjoyment of Latin, drawing parallels between the language and coding. Furthermore, his sister, Donna, holds a PhD in classics from Princeton and has authored works on how certain online communities appropriate classical history.

Internet Reacts

uh why is mark zuckerberg wearing a shirt that says "aut zuck aut nihil"? (i assume it's a joke referring to the phrase "aut caesar aut nihil", essentially, "either caesar or nothing".) 😬 pic.twitter.com/02b7o7eUIr

— Rachel Metz (@rachelmetz) September 25, 2024

A user sparked a conversation by asking, “Uh, why is Mark Zuckerberg wearing a shirt that says ‘Aut Zuck aut nihil’? (I think it’s a play on the phrase ‘Aut Caesar aut nihil’, meaning ‘Either Caesar or nothing’.) 😬”

Another person chimed in, “OMG, Zuckerberg’s shirt appears to read ‘Aut Zuck / Aut nihil’, translating to ‘Either Zuck or nothing’.” Someone else humorously added, “Zuck achieved infinite aura by pulling off this shirt.”

Finally, someone tweeted, “In case you were wondering, Zuck’s shirt says ‘either Zuck or nothing’ in Latin.”