Roman Numeral IV

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:45 am     Post subject: Roman Numeral IV

The number 4 in Roman numerals is IV not IIII.

I guess thats to hard for the Chinese manufactures to figure out?

Or did someone think that IIII was easier to view than IV.

I notice that IX is still on their not IIIIIIIII for the number 9....

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 1:19 pm     Post subject:

Funny thing... This is not a Chinese mistake, but more so a traditional method of displaying the numeral four. In all honesty, both methods have been used in clockmaking for a long time, and there are several theories as to why "IIII" is used instead of "IV". Whether it is something to the nature of appeasing the Roman God IVPITER (Jupiter), the decree of King Louis XIV, an easier way for peseants to add to four, or simply a method to better balance the clock face, I have not stumbled upon any difinitive answer as of yet. Truthfully, I am not certain there ever will be a difinitive answer. We should just blame the Romans instead...

Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:34 pm     Post subject:



Classical Roman is always IV, I only blamed the Chinese because the other day at a large home decorator store chain, all the Chinese made clocks had IIII and the very very few that had IV on them where made in Italy, and America (and cost three times as much might I add).

My antique clocks have IV, I guess the peasants have gotten a little duller in the past 100 years. My mother who is a very traditional person when it comes to literature and the arts speculates that no one teaches the lost art of anything anymore including the Roman numeral system.

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 6:25 pm     Post subject: IIII

Hi. I'm new , but I believe I can answer this.
The #IIII instead of IV is that the clock face was divided by 3. Numbers were started by I, V or X. Hence 1st seg was I II III IIII, 2nd seg was V, VI, VIIand VIIII, followed by IX, X, XI and XII. It was a more asthetical(sp) than correct numerology. Blame the Hoi Poloi for this not the chinese....more like the French.(King Louie the XIV).

Hope this helps
Stevyn