Rome finally abandons 'too complicated' Roman numerals

Italy to drop use of Roman numerals - which still appear on road signs and official documents - after thousands of years

'Too complicated' Roman numerals
'Too complicated' Roman numerals Credit: Photo: Alamy

They have survived thousands of years since their birth in ancient Rome, but Roman numerals are finally to be phased out after they were deemed too complicated for the modern-day capital.

Until now, Rome has remained stubbornly wedded to the ancient numeric system on its street signs, official documents, bills and identity cards.

However, under a new directive approved by Rome city council this week, the numerals will have to be written out fully.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a vast cobbled street that winds its way through central Rome, will now be Corso Vittorio Emanuele Secondo.

Nearby S. Pio X, along which thousands of tourists trek every day to visit the Vatican, will now be S.Pio Decimo.

The directive was proposed by Istat, that national statistics agency, who say they want to standardise, and simplify, Italy’s numerical system.

Corso-Vittorio-Emanuele-II

One of the 'confusing' street names (Alamy)

Although street signs and documents containing Roman numerals will not be immediately replaced, any new signage or identity papers will be issued according to the new rules.

Rome city council said “it had no other choice” than to adopt Istat’s recommendation. "We are following the guidelines," a spokesman said.

However the Italian press reacted angrily to the decision. Mario Ajello, a commentator for Il Messaggero, said the new rules were equivalent to “cultural suicide”.

“Taking away the Latin figures is simplyifying things in the worst sense of the word,” he wrote.

“Is it easier and simpler to have no link to the past? Maybe, yes: but it is cultural suicide.”

It comes months after an uproar over the increasing use of English-language slogans in prominent publicity campaigns, with Italians complaining that their traditions were being abandoned.

The Italian navy – or Marina Militare – adopted the slogan “Be Cool, join the Navy” for its recruitment campaign in February, using English rather than Italian.

The Eternal City dropped the Italian “Roma Capitale” as its principal branding slogan in favour of the English “Rome and You”.

It also cut the image of a wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, one of the best known symbols of the capital.

The use of Roman numerals - which are letters from the Latin alphabet employed to signify values - gradually declined since their invention in Ancient Rome, replaced by Arabic numerals.

However, they continue to be used in some contexts such as in the names of monarchs or popes, when denoting volume and chapter numbers, or in sequels of films and video games.