SymbolHub

Roman Numerals

Copy Roman numerals as single characters: Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ Ⅳ Ⅴ Ⅵ Ⅶ Ⅷ Ⅸ Ⅹ Ⅺ Ⅻ, the larger values Ⅼ Ⅽ Ⅾ Ⅿ and lowercase ⅰ ⅱ ⅲ. For long numbers such as MMXXVI, ordinary capital letters are the better choice.

Updated

Click any symbol to copy it. 41 symbols

Roman numerals 1 to 12

12

Fifty, one hundred, five hundred and one thousand

4

Lowercase Roman numerals

16

Archaic and large-number forms

9

How Roman numerals work

Roman numerals use seven letters: I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1,000. Values are added from left to right, largest first: XVI = 10 + 5 + 1 = 16. When a smaller numeral comes before a larger one, it is subtracted: IV = 4, IX = 9, XL = 40, XC = 90, CD = 400 and CM = 900. So 2026 is MMXXVI and 1999 is MCMXCIX.

Only I, X and C are placed in front to subtract, and a symbol is not repeated more than three times in a row. Clock faces are a famous exception: many show IIII instead of IV for four o’clock. To convert any number, use the Roman numeral converter.

Unicode numerals or ordinary letters?

Unicode includes Roman numerals as single characters so that East Asian typography, which sets each numeral in one square cell, can show them properly. Ⅻ is one character that fits the space of one digit, which is why it looks neat on clock faces, in outline headings and in lists.

For most writing, type ordinary capital letters instead: “Chapter XII”, “Henry VIII”, “Super Bowl LX”. Letters are searchable, every font has them and screen readers pronounce them sensibly. The Unicode Standard itself describes the numeral characters as compatibility characters for exactly this reason. Use them for layout and decoration; use letters for text.

How to type Roman numeral characters

  • Word: type the hex code and press Alt + X: 2160 for Ⅰ up to 216B for Ⅻ, and 2170 for ⅰ.
  • Mac: open the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) and search “roman numeral”.
  • Linux: Ctrl + Shift + U, then 2160 and Enter.
  • HTML: numeric references such as Ⅰ for Ⅰ, or simply the letters I, V and X.

For other numbering styles, such as circled and parenthesised numbers, see the number symbols collection. The math symbols page covers operators.

Frequently asked questions

What is 2026 in Roman numerals?

2026 is MMXXVI: MM (2,000) + XX (20) + VI (6).

Should I use Ⅻ or XII?

Use the ordinary letters XII in normal text: they are searchable and read correctly by screen readers. The single character Ⅻ is useful when you need a numeral to fit one character width, such as on a clock face.

Why is 4 written as IV?

Putting a smaller numeral before a larger one means subtraction, so IV is 5 − 1 = 4. Some clocks use IIII instead, a traditional exception.

What is the largest Roman numeral?

Standard numerals stop at 3,999 (MMMCMXCIX). Larger values were historically written with a bar over the numeral (multiplying it by 1,000) or with the archaic forms ↁ, ↂ and ↈ.