Crosswords27 mins ago
How Does This Work?
40 Answers
Here's one for the clever people to consider ... seems I've been wrong all these years into thinking I knew basic Roman numerals(!) For close on three score years and ten I've been led to believe that in RN the figure four was represented by IV (One before V) ... clearly not the case ... take a look at your watch (if it in Roman nums – or take a look at one the next time you walk past a jeweller's watch. You will see in the 'four' position four x IIII. Go figure ... it's true!
Answers
Clocks and watches tend to use IIII as opposed to IV, there is a legend that says that one of the Louis' of France mistakenly thought that IIII was the correct way of showing 4 and insisted on it on clocks for Versailles and everyone else followed suit. Others say that it is used as it balances VIII at the 8 position on the other side of the dial. In true Roman notation...
12:16 Thu 19th Mar 2015
Clocks and watches tend to use IIII as opposed to IV, there is a legend that says that one of the Louis' of France mistakenly thought that IIII was the correct way of showing 4 and insisted on it on clocks for Versailles and everyone else followed suit. Others say that it is used as it balances VIII at the 8 position on the other side of the dial. In true Roman notation 4 is indeed IV
Rumour has it (and it’s only a rumour) that it is to do with the Roman God Jupiter. This was spelt “IVPPITER” in Latin. Hesitant to put part of the god's name on a sundial or in accounting books, IIII became the preferred representation of four. It is said that clockmakers may have stuck with IIII just for the sake of tradition.
Interestingly, one of the world’s most famous public clocks, that in “Big Ben” (or more properly the Elizabeth Tower) uses IV for four.
Interestingly, one of the world’s most famous public clocks, that in “Big Ben” (or more properly the Elizabeth Tower) uses IV for four.
yes IIII is traditionally used on clock faces and is equally valid. It is also the case that the long form is generally valid for the lowest factors of the intended number, eg XXXXXXXXXX is valid for C but LL is not though XXXXX is valid for L etc etc. It's just that we generally use the short hand letter where possible.
