Roman numerals

Roman numerals stem from the numeral system of ancient Rome. They are based on certain letters of the alphabet which are combined to signify the sum (or, in some cases, the difference) of their values. The numbers 1 through 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:

I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X.

The Roman numeral system is decimal^[1] but not directly positional and does not include a zero. It is a cousin of the Etruscan numerals. Use of Roman numerals persisted after the decline of the Roman Empire. In the 14th century, Roman numerals were largely abandoned in favor of Arabic numerals; however, they are still used to this day in minor applications.

Modern use of Roman numerals includes numbered lists (such as the outline format of an article), clock faces, pages preceding the main body of a book, successive political leaders or children with identical names, and the numbering of annual events.