The history of Roman numerals and Roman mathematics isn't well documented. As humans likely began counting by using the simplest things available, the fingers, mathematics developed in a base unit of 10. Actively involved in trade and the use of monetary units, the Romans required a system where counting was more than fingers. The development of the numeric symbols may have been closely related, originally, to the shape of the hand: I for a single finger, V for the whole hand outstretched, X for both hands in the same manner.
Aside from the lack of the "zero" unit in the Roman system, the modern system and the ancient are remarkably similar. Considering that the Romans spread their culture throughout the western world, it really isn't a surprise that many numerical terms have a basis in Latin.
Note: Roman numbers which are multiples of 1,000 are indicated with a line ABOVE the number.
| Arabic or Modern |
Latin or Roman |
Digit Form |
Ordinal Form |
. |
. |
example - one, two, three... |
example - first, second, third... |
| 1 |
I |
unus - una - unum |
primus |
| 2 |
II |
duo - duae - duo |
secundas |
| 3 |
III |
tres - tria |
tertius |
| 4 |
IV |
quattuor |
quartus |
| 5 |
V |
quinque |
quintus |
| 6 |
VI |
sex |
sextus |
| 7 |
VII |
septem |
septimus |
| 8 |
VIII |
octo |
octavus |
| 9 |
IX |
novem |
nonus |
| 10 |
X |
decum |
decimus |
| 11 |
XI |
undecim |
undecimus |
| 12 |
XII |
duodecim |
duodecimus |
| 13 |
XIII |
tredecim |
tertius decimus |
| 14 |
XIV |
quattourdecim |
quartus decimus |
| 15 |
XV |
quindecim |
quintus decimus |
| 16 |
XVI |
sedecim |
sextus decimus |
| 17 |
XVII |
septendecim |
septimus decimus |
| 18 |
XVIII |
duodeviginti |
duodevicesimus |
| 19 |
XIX |
undeviginti |
undevicesimus |
| 20 |
XX |
viginti |
vicesimus |
| 21 |
XXI |
viginti unus |
vicesimus primus |
| 22 |
XXII |
viginti duo |
vicesimus secundas |
| 23 |
XXIII |
viginti tria |
vicesimus tertius |
| 24 |
XXIV |
viginti quattuor |
vicesimus quartus |
| 25 |
XXV |
viginti quinque |
vicesimus quintus |
| 30 |
XXX |
triginta |
tricesimus |
| 40 |
XL |
quadraginta |
quadragesimus |
| 50 |
L |
quinquaginta |
quinquagesimus |
| 60 |
LX |
sexaginta |
sexagesimus |
| 70 |
LXX |
septuaginta |
septuagesimus |
| 80 |
LXXX |
octoginta |
octogesimus |
| 90 |
XC |
nonaginta |
nonagesimus |
| 100 |
C |
centum |
centesimus |
| 200 |
CC |
ducenti |
ducentesimus |
| 300 |
CCC |
trecenti |
trecentesimus |
| 400 |
CD |
quadringenti |
quadringentesimus |
| 500 |
D |
quingenti |
quingentesimus |
| 600 |
DC |
sescengenti |
sescentesimus |
| 700 |
DCC |
septingenti |
septingentesimus |
| 753 |
DCCLIII |
sepingenti quinquaginta tria |
Founding Year of Rome - April 21, 753 BC |
| 800 |
DCCC |
octingenti |
octingentesimus |
| 900 |
CM |
nongenti |
nongentesimus |
| 1000 |
M |
mille |
millesimus |
| 1900 |
MCM |
mille nongenti |
millesnongentesimus |
| 2000 |
MM |
duomilia |
bismillesimus |
| 2100 |
MMC |
duomilia centum |
bismilles centesimus |
| 3000 |
MMM |
tresmilia |
tresmillesimus |
| 4000 |
MMMM |
quadramilia |
quadramillesimus |
| 5000 |
V |
quinmilia |
quinmillesimus |
| 6000 |
VM |
sesmilia |
sesmillesimus |
| 7000 |
VMM |
septuamilia |
septuamillesimus |
| 8000 |
VMMM |
octomilia |
octomillesimus |
| 9000 |
MX |
nonamilia |
nonamillesimus |
| 10,000 |
X |
decem milia |
decies millesimus |
| 11,000 |
XM |
undecim milia |
undecim millesimus |
| 12,000 |
XMM |
duodecim milia |
duadecim millesimus |
| 50,000 |
L |
quinqua milia |
quinqua millesimus |
60,000 |
LX |
sexa milia |
sexa millesimus |
| 80,000 |
LXXX |
octo milia |
octo millesimus |
| 90,099 |
XCXCIX |
nona milis novaginta novem |
nona millesimus nonus |
100,000 |
C |
centum milia |
centies millesimus |
| 200,000 |
CC |
ducenta milia |
ducenta millesimus |
| 200,100 |
CCC |
ducenta milia centum |
ducenta millesimus centum |
| 200,510 |
CCDX |
ducenta milia quindecem |
quindecem |
| 500,000 |
D |
quingenti milia |
quingenti millesimus |
| 600,000 |
DC |
sescenti milia |
sescenti millesimus |
| 700,000 |
DCC |
sepusducenta milia |
sepcenti millesimus |
| 1,000,000 |
M |
mille milia |
mille millesimus |
Did you know...?
The first evidence of zero is from the Sumerian culture in Mesopotamia, some 5,000 years ago. The symbol changed over time as positional notation, for which zero was crucial, made its way to the Babylonian empire and from there to India, and to the Greeks. The Romans had no trace of it at all.