ROMAN

MATHEMATICS
Prepared by
Kristian Lord R. Leaño
Eliza Gay B. Lagrio
Deejay Agustin
Objectives:
• To have knowledge about the history of mathematics in Rome
• To identify the usage of mathematics and the purpose of
Roman Numerals
• To show the contributions of the Romans to the people,
definitions and facts
Table of Contents:
• Brief history of Roman mathematics
• The Roman Numerals
• The Rules for Writing Roman Numerals
and the operations of Addition and
Subtraction
• Zero in Roman Mathematics
• The Abacus
• Roman Calendar and Horologia
• Mathematics teaching in Rome
BRIEF HISTORY OF ROME
MATHEMATICS
• By the middle of the 1st Century BCE, the Roman had
tightened their grip on the old Greek and Hellenistic
empires, and the mathematical revolution of the Greeks
ground to halt.
• The Romans were the dominant empire on earth.
• However, No mathematical innovations occurred under the
Roman Empire and Republic, and there were no
mathematicians of note.
 • WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE ROMANS ON
TODAY’S MATHEMATICS?
ROMAN NUMERALS
• Roman numerals originated in ancient Rome. This
ancient counting system is believed to have started
with the ancient Etruscans.
• Roman numerals were developed so that the Romans
could easily price different goods and services
• Romans used Roman Numerals for trading and
commerce.
ROMAN NUMERALS
Roman numerals are written as combinations of seven letters.
•I-1 • C - 100
•V-5 • D - 500
• X- 10 • M - 1000
• L - 50 Ā – Vinculum
• The letters should be arranged from largest to smallest. Unless it must
show a lesser numeral e.g. IV = 4, IL = 49
• 1510 is written MDX, largest to smallest. Only powers of ten can be
repeated. Don’t repeat a letter more than three times in a row.
• 100 is written C, not XXXXXXXXXX (too many repeats).
ROMAN ADDITION
• Rules: • – 106 + 94
– Convert subtractive prefixes to normal (Eg: = CVI + XCIV
IV = IIII; IX = VIIII).
= CVI + LXXXXIIII (Rule 1)
– Concatenate both the numbers (in descending
order). – Do normal sums like (IIIII = V but = CLXXXXVIIIII (Rule 2)
don’t write IIII=IV; VV = X) – Final answer = CLXXXXVV (Rule 3)
should be in subtractive prefixes if required. = CLXXXXX (Rule 3)
(Final answer should not have VIIII, convert to
IX) = CLL (Rule 3)
= CC (Rule 3)
=200
 ROMAN SUBSTRACTION
• – Rules • 203 – 94
– Convert subtractive prefixes to normal (Eg: = CCIII – XCIV
IV = IIII; IX = VIIII).
– Remove common symbols (VIII - IIII = VI –
= CCIII – LXXXXIIII (Rule 1).
I). – No number should be present after – sign, = CC – LXXXXI (Rule 2)
else keep writing number present before – sign
normally (CXXX – VII; Expand one X and = CLXXXXX – LXXXXI (Rule 3)
remove common symbols, if still number is = CX – I (Rule 2)
present after – then repeat it else stop).
= CVIIIII – I (Rule 3)
– Final answer should be in subtractive
prefixes if required. = CVIIII (Rule 2)
= CIX (Rule 4)
ZERO IN ROMAN MATHEMATICS
• It is believed that there was zero in Roman BUT it has no
roman numeral. The digit Zero is only use in positional
number system such as decimal. The number Zero has no use
in term of writing and mathematics operation.
• But the representation of zero orally it is called nulla or nihil
which means none in Latin.
THEORIES ON THE ORIGIN OF ROMAN
NUMERALS
• There are several theories as to how the ancient Etruscan and Roman
numerals were designed the way they were. One leading theory was
that they derived from the tally sticks used by shepherds to count their
cattle. The shepherds used to cut notches in their sticks, thus I became
a single unit, every fifth (Λ or V) was a double-cut, and every tenth
(X) a cross-cut.

• The other main theory was that they were references to hand signals,
with I, II, III, IIII corresponding to single fingers; V was demonstrated
with the thumb out and fingers together. The numbers 6 to 9 were
represented by using a V with one hand and I, II, III or IIII with the
other hand, while 10 (X) was represented by crossing the thumbs.
THE ABACUS
• The Roman Abacus which was
developed by Ancient Romans is a
portable and base-10 version of earlier
abacuses like Greeks and Babylonians.
• It is believed to be the first portable
calculating device for engineers,
merchants, and tax collectors.
Roman calendars and mathematics

• SUNDIAL
• CLEPSYDRAE • JULIAN CALENDAR
HOROLOGIA
• The term for general Clock in Roman that follows 12 hours of
light and 12 hours of darkness.
• In Roman Horologia, the term ante meridiem designated the
time “before the middle of the day”
• Post meridiem is time “after the middle of the day”
TWO FORMS OF HOROLOGIA
A. Solaria (Sundial)

B. Clepsydrae (Water clock)

• – Famous Solaria in
Rome
• – It was erected by
Emperor Augustus on the
Campus Martius in 9 B.C
CLEPSYDRAE
– Clepsydra or water clock do not
need sunlight to tell time.
– These also needed seasonal
adjustment, but they could be used
at night because they didn’t require
sunlight.
– Beside being a time, this also
became the timer for oracle, brothel,
and to military.
CLEPSYDRAE
• – An example of this high-end
‘time piece’ is the Tower of the
Winds in the Roman Agora of
Athens, also known as the
Horologion of Andronicus,
which was built in the first
century B.C.
ROMAN CALENDAR
• borrowed some earliest
calendar in Greek. – Numa Pompilius was the
• The first and the earliest legendary second king of Rome
Roman Calendar was and added January and
introduced by the first Emperor February to the calendar which
of Roman empire, Romulus, in made it to 355 days.
700s B.C.E.
• it had 10 months only named,
Martius, Aprilis, Maius,
Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis,
September, October,
November, and December
---- 304 days
JULIAN CALENDAR
• Gaius Julius Caesar
• Developed the Julian Calendar
• In 45 B.C.E., Julian Calendar was made to keep track in
marking time with the seasons without extra month. It is
a solar calendar based entirely on Earth's revolutions
around the Sun, also called a tropical year.
• The Julian Calendar also introduced LEAP
YEAR. Every four years is a leap year.
• At the time, February was the last month of the year,
and Leap Day was February 24.
JULIAN CALENDAR
• The Julian Calendar was very useful in the ancient Rome. It
changed the Roman Calendar to more civilized and in
connection with the movement of the earth to the sun.
• The problem happened was that the Julian calendar had too
many leap year that made it out of sync. Eventually the Julian
calendar and important religious holidays, like Easter were
several days out of sync with the fixed dates for astronomical
events like equinoxes and solstices.
• In the modern times, Julian Calendar is used to provide the dates
of feasts and many more.
MATHEMATICS TEACHING IN ANCIENT
ROME
• The Roman educational system was very similar to the Greek's but had
certain differences.
• The Romans used Applied Mathematics– it is used in physics and
engineering.
• They are learned mostly for Practical purposes like trade and commerce.
• Roman children were taught at home until about the age of twelve like the
Greek. And beyond 12, they progress to a school of Literature and acquired
more lessons adding of what they have learned at school.
• The boys were mostly to study special mathematics based on their
occupations.
SOURCES:
• https://eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/ancient-everyday-telling-time-in-the-roman-world/
• http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-roman.html
• https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/julian-calendar.html
• http://mathlearners.com/history-of-mathematics/1500-bc-400-ad/romans/
• https://www.storyofmathematics.com/roman.html?fbclid=IwAR3NNSAUKXuMEnkwtGE6--LTf-HU9IVG1cQjnKApApip9eqYtn-
fF3HqQUc
• https://www.slideshare.net/alejandrobatocabe/roman-numerals-cc-
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• http://historylearning.com/a-history-of-ancient-rome/history-of-roman-numerals/