As someone in the tech community who fell into an obsession with Rome, I think my fall into it was mostly just familiarity. Out of all the great empires of the ancients (China, Rome, Persia, Khans, Greeks, etc), who is the most responsible for what I am today? I write in Roman letters and speak roman words thousands of years later. My ancestors from England lived in cities built by Rome and lots of American political culture is Rome-inspired. Heck, Cincinnati is named Cincinnatus who was responsible for saving Rome on more than one occasion.

The question isn't why are we obsessed with Rome. It's why not.