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Message:: [QUOTE="Valentinian, post: 7810857, member: 44316"]Now when we use Roman numerals we write 9 with "IX". That uses a subtraction principle that is not frequently used on ancient Roman coins. Romans usually (not always) wrote 9 with addition "VIIII." The Greek numeral for 9 is theta, Θ. When the Romans used Greek numerals (they did, quite a bit) Θ was often avoided because it was regarded as bad luck, being the first letter of Thanatos, a word and letter used for "death" or "deceased" on military roles. When an late Roman issue had officina numbers in Greek with 9 or more officina, they usually wrote the officina number 9 with "ЄΔ" (5+4 = 9) and not with "Θ". [ATTACH=full]1341773[/ATTACH] Diocletian, 284-305,CONCORDIA MILITVM  emperor standing right, holding short scepter in left, receiving victory on globe from   Hercules left, holding vertical long scepter in left with bow (hanging from his shoulder?)  ЄΔ, for 9, low in the middle field  •XXI    IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG  RIC V.II Diocletian 322 Antioch, p. 256 Under the Byzantine empire they sometimes used the Roman "V" or [ATTACH=full]1341789[/ATTACH]  for 5. [ATTACH=full]1341786[/ATTACH] 35 mm. 19.33 grams.Justinian, year 19 from Cyzicus, X/ɥI/II/I for 19 (10+6+2+1). Sear 207. Also, Byzantines introduced a new symbol for 6 (sort of like a V with the left side longer and curled over the top),[ATTACH=full]1341781[/ATTACH], which allows more ways to write 9, which is 6+3. [ATTACH=full]1341782[/ATTACH] 32 mm. 16.89 grams.Justinian, Sear 163, Year 29 from Constantinople. XX/IGI/I  (20+1+6+1+1) Show some ancient coins with the number 9 on them![/QUOTE]

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