What Are Roman Numerals?
Roman numerals are a historic number system that uses letters as digits. They remain common on clocks, in copyright years, monarch names, book front matter, and special-event numbering.
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The seven standard symbols
Classical Roman numerals are built from seven letters. Each letter has a fixed value:
| Symbol | Value |
|---|---|
| I | 1 |
| V | 5 |
| X | 10 |
| L | 50 |
| C | 100 |
| D | 500 |
| M | 1000 |
These are the only symbols used for the standard range of 1–3999. See the full guide to Roman numeral symbols and the writing rules.
How values are combined
Most of the time, numerals are additive: larger values come first and smaller values follow. For example, XVI is 10 + 5 + 1 = 16, and MMXXVI is 1000 + 1000 + 10 + 10 + 5 + 1 = 2026.
Six subtractive pairs shorten awkward runs of four identical symbols: IV (4), IX (9), XL (40), XC (90), CD (400), and CM (900). That is why 4 is written IV rather than IIII in modern standard form—though clock faces sometimes still use IIII. Read more in subtraction rules.
Where Roman numerals still appear
- Clocks and watches — hour marks I through XII (see Roman numerals on clocks)
- Film and television — copyright years at the end of credits, and some sequel titles
- Books — front-matter pages, volume numbers, and outlines
- Names and titles — monarchs and popes (for example, Louis XIV, Henry VIII, Elizabeth II)
- Events — Super Bowl editions are numbered with Roman numerals
- Dates and inscriptions — cornerstones, memorials, tattoos, and invitations
Use the Roman numeral decoder to turn a numeral you see into an Arabic number, or browse the 1–100 chart.
What this site covers
Roman-Numerals.net focuses on the modern standard form used for everyday conversion: integers from 1 to 3999 using I, V, X, L, C, D, and M. That covers years such as 2026 (MMXXVI), common dates, and most inscriptions people look up.
Numbers larger than 3999 historically used extended notations such as a vinculum (overline). Those forms are outside this site’s converter range—explained in large Roman numerals. Classical Latin also had no standard symbol for zero; see Roman numeral zero.
To practice reading and writing, start with how to read and how to write Roman numerals, or convert a full date with the date converter.
Quick examples
| Arabic | Roman | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | IV | Subtractive form |
| 9 | IX | Subtractive form |
| 14 | XIV | 10 + 4 |
| 40 | XL | 50 − 10 |
| 1999 | MCMXCIX | Common copyright-style year |
| 2026 | MMXXVI | Current calendar year example |
FAQ
What are the seven Roman numeral letters?
I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), and M (1000). Those seven symbols cover the standard range from 1 to 3999.
Are Roman numerals still used today?
Yes. They appear on clock faces, in film copyright years, book front matter, monarch and papal names, Super Bowl numbering, and decorative or memorial dates.
What is 2026 in Roman numerals?
2026 is written MMXXVI: two thousands (MM), twenty (XX), and six (VI).
Did Romans have a symbol for zero?
Classical Roman numerals did not include a standard zero. Later scholarly conventions sometimes used words or letters such as nulla or N, but those are not among the seven standard symbols.