From the times of the Etruscans (they invented them) to about 700 years ago when they were gradually replaced by the Hindu-Arabic numeral system.
The numerals that are commonly used are I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X. (those are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Numbers such as 1, 2, 3, ... are called Arabic numerals. they are the most commonly used numeral system in the world, but others are still used for other purposes e.g. Roman numerals I, II, .., VIII, .., XXIII, ...
The most commonly used Roman numerals can be made from a combination of seven (7) different symbols, whcih are...I = 1V = 5X = 10L = 50C = 100D = 500M = 1000Using these symbols any number from 1 to 3999 can be represented.
499 in Roman numerals: CDICToday it is written out as: CDXCIXBut during the Roman era it was most probably wrote as: ID (-1+500 = 499)
The year so far which has required the most Roman numerals to represent would probably be 1888, which is MDCCCLXXXVIII
Hindu-Arabic numerals
The numerals that are commonly used are I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X. (those are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Numbers such as 1, 2, 3, ... are called Arabic numerals. they are the most commonly used numeral system in the world, but others are still used for other purposes e.g. Roman numerals I, II, .., VIII, .., XXIII, ...
The most commonly used Roman numerals can be made from a combination of seven (7) different symbols, whcih are...I = 1V = 5X = 10L = 50C = 100D = 500M = 1000Using these symbols any number from 1 to 3999 can be represented.
499 in Roman numerals: CDICToday it is written out as: CDXCIXBut during the Roman era it was most probably wrote as: ID (-1+500 = 499)
The year so far which has required the most Roman numerals to represent would probably be 1888, which is MDCCCLXXXVIII
Because most moviegoers can't work out Roman numerals and so they are unable to know in what year the movie was made.
Most people don't understand Roman numerals so movie makers use these numerals to disguise the fact when the movie was actually released. +++ How do you "know" without asking them, that "most" people don't understand Roman numerals (they can always find out!), and why should film-makers want to disguise release dates? Roman numerals have always been common in publishing generally.
A) Arabic numerals are in numbers whereas Roman numerals are in letters.B) Even if Roman numerals are in letters the symbols are easier to understand, despite the fact that Australians and Americans and most probably you write numbers using the system of Arabic numerals.C) The system of Roman numerals was invented before the system of Arabic numerals, but people use the system of Arabic numerals to write more frequently.
Bear in mind that Roman numerals actually are numbers, they are just not the kind of numbers that we presently use, which are called Arabic numerals. Arabic numerals were first used in Europe in the year 976 AD. Roman numerals still have not entirely fallen out of use, although for most purposes we use Arabic numerals.
To disguise the fact when the movie was actually released because most people can't figure out Roman numerals.
Tradition and so as to disguise the year when the movie was made because most people can't work out Roman numerals.