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MMCCCLXI
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Did you know?
The Clock Mystery
Next time you look at a clock with Roman numerals, check the number four. Most clocks show IIII instead of IV. Nobody knows for certain why. Some say it honors Jupiter (IVPPITER in Latin). Others argue it just looks more balanced opposite the VIII on the other side. Watchmakers have kept this tradition for centuries, and it remains one of the most charming unsolved mysteries in design.
Read more →Why Roman Numerals Survived
Arabic numerals replaced Roman numerals for math and commerce by the 14th century. So why do Roman numerals still exist? Because they serve a different purpose now. They signal formality, tradition, and importance. A clock face, a monarch's name (Queen Elizabeth II), a building cornerstone (MCMXXIV) — Roman numerals persist wherever we want to say: this matters, this is enduring.
Read more →Where do Roman numerals come from?
It is thought Roman numerals come from hand signals and tally marks. The stroke I represents a finger, the V represents the gap between thumb and fingers for five, and the X represents hands crossed for ten. The L, C, D, and M come from modifications of Greek letters like chi, theta, and phi to represent 50, 100, 500, and 1,000. Over time, these marks changed into the Latin letters people recognize today. There is no 0 in the Roman alphabet, as the concept for the number 0 didn't fully develop until India invented it around 600 CE / 10600 HE.