No, we just have a harder time learning them because generally we don't have a pronunciation key and native speaker on hand to help out. Languages today actually have a lot more vocabulary than do ancient languages--that's what comes of more contact with other civilizations, more technology, and more stuff in general, all of which needs a name.
An abacus device or board was used for counting numbers in ancient times by civilisations such as the Romans and it's hardly used in todays modern world except in museums, by historians or perhaps in some education establishments.
Ancient Greeks gave their citizens a right to vote.
Gladiator sandals were very poopular in summer of 2010!
olympics. architecture. politics( senate)
Nowadays it is DCCXLVIII but the ancient Romans probably wrote it out differently to todays notation.
In todays modern notation of Roman numerals: VIII-XI-MCMXCI Note that the ancient Romans would have probably wrote out the equivalent of 1991 quite differently to that of todays notation.
In todays modern notation 3842 is MMMDCCCXLII but the ancient Romans notated it quite differently
In todays usage of Roman numerals it is CXIV but the ancient Romans wrote it out differently
In todays terms 74 is LXXIV but the ancient Romans would have wrote it out quite differently
In todays configuration of Roman numerals: MXLII but the ancient Romans would have wrote it out quite differently
In todays notation of Roman numerals: MMMDXLIX But the ancient Romans probably notated it differently.
In todays modern notation of Roman numerals it is MCMXCVII but the ancient Romans probably wrote it out differently