Was doing common arithmetic in ancient Rome using Roman numerals as ungainly as it seems to the modern eye? (what's MDCCXCII ÷ XVI?) | AskHistorians Archive Observer

Was doing common arithmetic in ancient Rome using Roman numerals as ungainly as it seems to the modern eye? (what's MDCCXCII ÷ XVI?)

by nthensome

spacevessel

In some ways there is more elegance. This is a fine answer by u/cespinar from another Reddit discussion:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1e1spl/how_did_romans_do_math_without_a_decimal_based/