Roman Numerals Guide
Everything about Roman numerals in one place. Roman numerals are the number system of ancient Rome — seven letters (I, V, X, L, C, D, M) that still show up on clocks, book chapters, movie credits and tattooed dates. This guide collects our full walkthrough, from first principles to specialized uses.
The seven letters at a glance
| Letter | Value | Letter | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1 | L | 50 |
| V | 5 | C | 100 |
| X | 10 | D | 500 |
| M | 1000 |
Combine them by three rules — repeat at most three times, subtract with exactly six pairs (IV, IX, XL, XC, CD, CM), and write large-to-small. 2026 is MMXXVI; 49 is XLIX, never IL.
Start here
- What Are Roman Numerals? — the seven letters, the rules, and where Roman numerals are still used today
- Roman Numerals Rules & Letters — how to build (and error-check) any number; why clocks sometimes show IIII
- Roman Numerals Chart 1-100 — the full table, high-error numbers highlighted, uppercase and lowercase forms
Type and convert
- How to Type Roman Numerals — on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, in Word, PowerPoint and Excel
- Roman Numeral Converter — our free tool: numbers to Roman and back, with a 1-100 chart, clock face and date conversion
Dates, years and tattoos
- Roman Numeral Dates — convert any date, three formats, and how to check it before engraving
- 2026 in Roman Numerals — MMXXVI, digit by digit, with a 2020-2030 quick table
- Birthday in Roman Numerals — birthday dates done right, from tattoo drafts to engraved gifts
- Roman Numeral Tattoos — meanings, placement ideas, and the pre-ink checklist that catches conversion errors
Where to go next
New to the system? Read what Roman numerals are first, then keep the 1-100 chart bookmarked. Converting a specific date or year? Jump straight to the date guide or the converter.