Roman Numeral Converter

What are Roman Numerals?

Roman numerals are an ancient numeral system that originated in Rome and were used throughout the Roman Empire. Unlike our modern Arabic numeral system (0-9), Roman numerals use letters from the Latin alphabet to represent numbers. This system has been used for over 2,000 years and is still found in many places today.

The basic symbols are: I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), and M (1000). The system uses both additive and subtractive notation. When a smaller numeral appears before a larger one, you subtract (IV = 4, IX = 9). When it appears after, you add (VI = 6, XI = 11).

Where you'll see Roman numerals today:

  • Clock faces (especially traditional analog clocks)
  • Movie sequels and book chapters
  • Monarch names (Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II)
  • Year dates in formal documents and copyright notices
  • Numbering lists in formal writing
  • Mathematical and historical contexts

Our converter makes it easy to switch between Arabic numbers (like 2024) and Roman numerals (like MMXXIV). Whether you're a student learning history, working on a formal document, or just curious about this ancient numbering system, this tool provides instant, accurate conversions in both directions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome. They use combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) to represent numbers. Unlike Arabic numerals (0-9), Roman numerals don't have a zero and use additive and subtractive notation.
I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000. When a smaller numeral appears before a larger one, you subtract (e.g., IV = 4, IX = 9). When it appears after, you add (e.g., VI = 6, XI = 11).
Theoretically, Roman numerals can represent very large numbers by adding more M's (each M = 1000). However, in practice, Roman numerals are typically used for numbers up to a few thousand. Our converter can handle numbers from 1 to 3,999,999, though traditional Roman numerals rarely exceed 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX).
Roman numerals are used for numbering book chapters, movie sequels (Star Wars, Rocky), clock faces, year dates in formal documents, monarch names (King Henry VIII), and in some mathematical contexts. They add a classic, formal appearance to text.
Read from left to right. If a smaller value appears before a larger value, subtract it. Otherwise, add the values. For example, MCMXCIV = 1000 + (1000-100) + (100-10) + (5-1) = 1994. Our converter handles all the rules automatically!
Yes! There are variations like 'additive notation' (IIII instead of IV for 4) and 'subtractive notation' (IV for 4). Modern usage typically follows subtractive notation. Some clocks use IIII instead of IV for aesthetic reasons. Our converter uses standard modern subtractive notation.