Decoding the secret math of Roman letters

sonia The Notches on the Stick

Slash the wood, shape a V, cross the ten!

sonia A bird shape flattens into an inverted T and becomes the letter L.

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.

Gossip

Which Roman numeral letter looks the coolest?

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

Why did the Romans likely choose the letter 'C' for 100 and 'M' for 1,000?

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?

Quiz

Before flattening into the letter 'L', what shape did the Etruscan symbol for 50 resemble?