Origins
The system is generally associated with the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Its main symbols—I, V, X, L, C, D, and M—represented quantities without the positional decimal notation used today.
Development in Roman society
Roman numerals appeared on stone inscriptions, tax records, military documents, calendars, and contracts. They were suited to public communication because the symbols were easy to carve and recognize.
The transition to Hindu-Arabic numerals
As trade and calculation became more complex in medieval Europe, Hindu-Arabic numerals became preferred because they were more efficient for arithmetic. Roman numerals did not disappear; their role changed.
Continuing relevance
Roman numerals remain visible in book chapters, analog clocks, regnal and papal names, annual events, and titles that benefit from a classical or formal identity.