Roman Numeral Converter
Description
The Roman Numeral Converter bridges the gap between antiquity and modern mathematics. Roman numerals, originating in ancient Rome, are still used today in names of monarchs, book chapters, clocks, and Super Bowl titles. This tool allows for bidirectional conversion: translate a modern number (like 2024) into Roman style (MMXXIV), or interpret a Roman string back into a decimal number. It follows standard subtractive notation (e.g., IV is 4, not IIII) to ensure historical accuracy.
What It Does
Converts Arabic numerals (integers) to Roman Numerals and vice versa.
How To Use
- Decimal to Roman: Enter a number (e.g., 50) in the top box to see 'L'.
- Roman to Decimal: Enter letters (e.g., XVI) in the bottom box to see '16'.
- Clear: Delete input to reset both fields.
Who It Is For
History buffs, students learning Latin numbering, copyright date readers, and tattoo enthusiasts planning date tattoos.
Freqently Asked Questions
Why is the limit 3999?
Standard Roman numerals do not have a specific symbol for 5,000 or larger without using special vincular (formatting) lines over letters, which this tool does not currently support.
Is IIII valid for 4?
Historically yes, especially on clock faces, but in standard subtractive notation (which we use), 4 is written as IV.
Is there a zero in Roman Numerals?
No. The Romans did not have a specific numeral for zero; they simply didn't write anything.