Roman Numeral Converter
Convert between Arabic numbers and Roman numerals with step-by-step breakdown.
Roman numeral converter
Updates as you typeDirection
Number
Arabic number ?
1 – 3999
Quick picks
Roman numeral
Roman numeral ?
M D C L X V I
Quick picks
↑ ↓ step the number · Tab to switch direction
How it works
- Take the largest symbol value that fits inside the remaining number.
- Subtract it and append the symbol to the result.
- Repeat until nothing is left. Subtractive pairs (IV, IX, XL, XC, CD, CM) are included as single "symbols" in the table so step 1 picks them up naturally.
Worked example — your number
- Starting value: —
- Symbols picked: —
- Result: —
Where you still see Roman numerals
Super Bowl
Numbered with Roman digits since 1971 (Super Bowl V). The 2024 game was Super Bowl LVIII.
Monarch regnal numbers
Elizabeth II, Louis XIV, Henry VIII — centuries-old convention.
Movie copyright
End-credit dates often use Roman numerals (e.g. MMXXIV for 2024) — partly to slow down obvious dating of the print.
Clock faces
Watchmakers traditionally write 4 as IIII rather than IV, for visual symmetry with the VIII opposite it.
Why does the converter cap at 3999? Standard Roman notation only uses M, D, C, L, X, V, I, and the largest expressible value is MMMCMXCIX = 3999. Higher numbers traditionally take a vinculum (overline) that multiplies the symbol by 1000, but it has no stable plain-text representation and isn't in widespread modern use.