Chapter 1
The notches on the stick
Chapter 2
The rules of the Roman road
Chapter 3
Doing math without a pen
Chapter 4
The modern survival guide
YOUR GOAL
Master of Decoding the secret math of Roman letters
Ch 1 · The notches on the stick
sonia Seven Latin letters represent numerical values in the classic Roman numeral system.
Fun Fact
Tally stick origins: Early Roman shepherds didn't use letters at all, but simply carved notches into wooden sticks to count their sheep.
Glossary
tally stick (noun)
A piece of wood or bone marked with notches used to record and verify counts or debts. Ancient Roman shepherds recorded sheep counts on wooden rods, which inspired their first numerical symbols.
A piece of wood or bone marked with notches used to record and verify counts or debts. Ancient Roman shepherds recorded sheep counts on wooden rods, which inspired their first numerical symbols.
Quiz
Which numeral was originally represented by a split circle resembling the Greek letter phi?
Quiz
What is the name of the ancient device used for counting before numerals were written down?
Quiz
Which ancient civilization's numerical system did the Romans adapt to create their own numerals?
Quiz
In what century did the Romans fully transition from early Etruscan symbols to standard Latin letters?
Quiz
What shape did the Etruscans use for the number 100 before the Romans simplified it to 'C'?
Quiz
What physical item did early shepherds use to carve notches before written paper existed?