ABSTRACT
The Romans were active in trade and commerce, and from the time of learning to write they needed a way to indicate numbers. The system they developed lasted many centuries and is still in use in some areas, including pharmacy. Roman numerals are used with the apothecary’s system of measurement to designate quantities on prescriptions. In the Roman system of counting, letters of the alphabet (both uppercase and lowercase) such as I or i, V or v, and X or x are used to designate numbers.
