Greek numerals

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Numerical system used in ancient Greece

For other uses, see Greek numeral (disambiguation).

Greek numerals are a system of numerals that was used in ancient Greece. They are also known as Ionian numerals, Milesian numerals, or Alexandrian numerals. The system uses the letters of the Greek alphabet to represent numbers.

History

The Greek numeral system was developed in the Hellenistic period and was used in various forms throughout the Byzantine Empire. It is believed to have been influenced by the Egyptian numerals and the Phoenician alphabet.

Numerical Values

The Greek numeral system assigns numerical values to the letters of the Greek alphabet. The first nine letters represent the numbers 1 through 9, the next nine letters represent the tens (10, 20, ..., 90), and the next nine letters represent the hundreds (100, 200, ..., 900).

Basic Numerals

• α (alpha) = 1
• β (beta) = 2
• γ (gamma) = 3
• δ (delta) = 4
• ε (epsilon) = 5
• ϛ (stigma) = 6
• ζ (zeta) = 7
• η (eta) = 8
• θ (theta) = 9

Tens

• ι (iota) = 10
• κ (kappa) = 20
• λ (lambda) = 30
• μ (mu) = 40
• ν (nu) = 50
• ξ (xi) = 60
• ο (omicron) = 70
• π (pi) = 80
• ϟ (koppa) = 90

Hundreds

• ρ (rho) = 100
• σ (sigma) = 200
• τ (tau) = 300
• υ (upsilon) = 400
• φ (phi) = 500
• χ (chi) = 600
• ψ (psi) = 700
• ω (omega) = 800
• ϡ (sampi) = 900

Higher Numbers

For numbers greater than 999, a mark known as the myria (͵) is used to denote multiplication by 1,000. For example, ͵α represents 1,000, ͵β represents 2,000, and so on.

Usage

Greek numerals were used in various aspects of daily life, including commerce, astronomy, and mathematics. They were also used in Greek literature and Greek inscriptions.

Comparison with Roman Numerals

Greek numerals are similar to Roman numerals in that they both use letters to represent numbers. However, Greek numerals are more complex due to the use of the entire alphabet and additional symbols.

See Also

• Greek alphabet
• Roman numerals
• Egyptian numerals
• Phoenician alphabet
• Byzantine Empire

Related Pages

• Greek alphabet
• Roman numerals
• Egyptian numerals
• Phoenician alphabet
• Byzantine Empire