Re: Query: Roman numeral dating

[Fred Schreiber <ekslibris@MAC.COM>]

The system of Roman numerals, including the answer to Boris's  
question (see below), was previously discussed on this List:

http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/exlibris/1996/02/ 
msg00222.html


Fred Schreiber
email: ekslibris@mac.com
http://www.ekslibris.com


On Oct 30, 2006, at 12:19 PM, Boris wrote:

> Carol,
>
> 	I don't know the background and will look into it, but cl(reverse  
> c) = 1000, l(reverse c) = 500. c of course = 100, etc. Note the  
> value for 1000 looks like the letter m, as in the Latin mille or a  
> thousand.  l(reverse c) looks like the letter d, as in the latin  
> dimidium mille or a half thousand. I have never read anything  
> clarifying this, but this is my own supposition. Why the letters,  
> in roman dating during the early days or printing, should be  
> written in that way, I don't know.
>
> Boris