Roman numerals are best thought of less as a numbering system (as we think of our modern system) but a semi-overgrown counting system. If you start out with ha

Roman numerals are best thought of less as a numbering system (as we think of our modern system) but a semi-overgrown counting system. If you start out with hashmarks and sort of let it evolve, you can see pretty easily how they got to what they had. It's obviously limiting but not entirely stupid, when put into context.