Roman Numeral Converter

What the Roman Numeral Converter does

This tool converts numbers to Roman numerals and Roman numerals back to standard numbers, instantly, in both directions.

How to use it

1. To convert a number to Roman numerals, enter a value between 1 and 3999.
2. To convert Roman numerals to a number, type the Roman numeral into the other field.
3. The converted result appears automatically.

Common uses

• Decoding a Roman numeral date or edition number (common on movie copyright notices or book editions).
• Converting a number for a clock face, monument, or formal document styled with Roman numerals.
• Checking homework involving Roman numeral conversion.
• Working out a Super Bowl or Olympic Games edition number from its Roman numeral name.
• Converting a chapter or volume number into traditional Roman numeral styling.

Good to know

Standard Roman numeral notation only covers 1 through 3999 — there's no standard symbol for zero, and numbers beyond 3999 require notation conventions (like an overline) that aren't part of everyday Roman numeral use, which is why the converter is limited to that range.

Roman numerals use an additive-and-subtractive system rather than positional notation like the decimal system we use today — a symbol's value depends on its position relative to neighboring symbols (IV means 4, one less than V, while VI means 6, one more), which is part of why Roman numerals, while still used decoratively today, were never well suited to complex arithmetic the way positional number systems are.