Convert numbers to and from Roman numerals
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Intentional Friction
In a world optimized for speed, Roman numerals slow you down. And sometimes that's the point. A copyright year in MMXXVI makes you pause and decode. A memorial date in MCMXLV forces a moment of effort — and that effort is itself a form of respect. Roman numerals turn reading a number into a small act of attention.
Read more →Why the NFL Chose Roman Numerals
When the Super Bowl started in 1967, the game was played in January but belonged to the previous season. Calling it "the 1966 championship played in 1967" was confusing. Roman numerals solved this elegantly: Super Bowl I, II, III. No year confusion, and it made the event feel like something ancient and important. Marketing genius disguised as tradition.
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.