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The Roman numeral system was derived from the Etruscan numeral system and their symbols denoting different values were symmetrical.

The Etruscans once ruled the Romans and when the Romans rebelled and defeated the Etruscans they decided that the numeral system of symbols should change to symmetrical letters from the Roman alphabet:

M, D, C, an inverted T, X, V and I (1000, 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1)

Over time the inverted T was shortened to L but the other numerals still remain symmetrical.

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13y ago

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