From jfsiege@ilstu.edu Sun Mar 3 16:29:14 2002 Received: from mailscan2.cac.washington.edu (mailscan2.cac.washington.edu [140.142.33.16]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW01.12/8.12.1+UW02.01) with SMTP id g240TDnJ142682 for ; Sun, 3 Mar 2002 16:29:13 -0800 Received: FROM mxu2.u.washington.edu BY mailscan2.cac.washington.edu ; Sun Mar 03 16:29:13 2002 -0800 Received: from merlin.ilstu.edu (merlin.ilstu.edu [138.87.4.8]) by mxu2.u.washington.edu (8.12.1+UW01.12/8.12.1+UW02.01) with ESMTP id g240TCZB017202 for ; Sun, 3 Mar 2002 16:29:12 -0800 Received: from jfsieg (line193067.ras.ilstu.edu [138.87.193.67]) by merlin.ilstu.edu (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id SAA14126 for ; Sun, 3 Mar 2002 18:29:13 -0600 (CST) Message-ID: <008601c1c313$9bf7fc80$43c1578a@cas.ilstu.edu> From: "janice siegel" To: References: <8C1D549B4324D51181010090277A49DE163F25@exchange.apsu.edu> Subject: Re: Greek numerals Date: Sun, 3 Mar 2002 18:29:11 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0083_01C1C2E1.506AEF20" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0083_01C1C2E1.506AEF20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Thanks! A slew of people (ok, 3) have written off-list (in the past ten = minutes) to tell me to look at Smyth section 347ff. Cheers, Janice ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Pesely, George=20 To: 'classics@u.washington.edu'=20 Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 6:23 PM Subject: RE: Greek numerals There is an article in Der Kleine Pauly by Dietmar Najock on this: = Zahlensysteme, Zahlwo+rter (vol. 5, col. 1449-1452). The bibliography = cites three works in German and Th. Heath's History of Greek Mathematics = (which I have not seen). Najock has a little on the Linear B system, then discusses the system = found in Attic inscriptions, which used a simple vertical stroke (I) to = represent one, then used the initials of Pente, Deka, Hekaton (an Eta), = Chilioi (X), and Myrioi; there were combinations such as a small delta = inside the pi of pente to represent 50. =20 If you don't have Der Kleine Pauly, take a look at Russell Meiggs and = David Lewis, _A Selection of Greek Historical Inscriptions_, pp xiv-xv, = which explains this system and shows examples. The system found in many manuscripts uses the first nine letters (with = digamma after epsilon) to represent the numbers from one to nine, then = the next nine letters (including Qoph following Pi) to represent the = tens from 10 to 90, and the next nine letters (including sampi after = omega) to represent the hundreds from 100 to 900. Up to 999 the numbers = are represented with a stroke following which looks like an acute = accent; to represent one thousand, you use alpha again but with a stroke = below it to the left of the letter. George Pesely, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee peselyg@apsu.edu =20 -----Original Message----- From: janice siegel [mailto:jfsiege@ilstu.edu] Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 5:51 PM To: classics@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: Roman Numerals...follow up question Here's a follow-up question to Diana's... My Greek language students asked me how the Greeks wrote their = numbers...clearly they didn't use Roman numerals...they didn't use = Arabic ones, right? So how did they do their math, with what kind of = notation? Cheers, Janice ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Diana Wright=20 To: Classics=20 Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 5:34 PM Subject: Roman Numerals I have the feeling this is something that everyone knows except = me. I was reading an inscription on a dignified building & got to = wondering how the Romans said their numbers. Like MCCCXXVII -- I say = em-cee-cee-cee-ex-ex-vee-ai-ai, but I'm fairly sure they didn't. DW ------=_NextPart_000_0083_01C1C2E1.506AEF20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Thanks! A slew of people (ok, 3) have = written=20 off-list (in the past ten minutes) to tell me to look at Smyth section = 347ff.=20 Cheers, Janice
----- Original Message -----
From:=20 Pesely, = George=20
Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 = 6:23=20 PM
Subject: RE: Greek = numerals

There is an article in Der Kleine Pauly by = Dietmar=20 Najock on this:  Zahlensysteme, Zahlwo+rter (vol. 5, col.=20 1449-1452).  The bibliography cites three works in German and Th. = Heath's=20 History of Greek Mathematics (which I have not = seen).
 
Najock has a little on the Linear B system, = then=20 discusses the system found in Attic inscriptions, which used a simple = vertical=20 stroke (I) to represent one, then used the initials of Pente, Deka, = Hekaton=20 (an Eta), Chilioi (X), and Myrioi; there were combinations such as a = small=20 delta inside the pi of pente to represent 50.  =
 
If=20 you don't have Der Kleine Pauly, take a look at Russell Meiggs and = David=20 Lewis, _A Selection of Greek Historical Inscriptions_, pp xiv-xv, = which=20 explains this system and shows examples.
 
The=20 system found in many manuscripts uses the first nine letters (with = digamma=20 after epsilon) to represent the numbers from one to nine, then the = next nine=20 letters (including Qoph following Pi) to represent the tens from 10 to = 90, and=20 the next nine letters (including sampi after omega) to represent the = hundreds=20 from 100 to 900.  Up to 999 the numbers are represented with a = stroke=20 following which looks like an acute accent; to represent one thousand, = you use=20 alpha again but with a stroke below it to the left of the=20 letter.
 
George Pesely, Austin Peay State = University,=20 Clarksville, Tennessee
=
 
-----Original Message-----
From: janice siegel=20 [mailto:jfsiege@ilstu.edu]
Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 = 5:51=20 PM
To: classics@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: = Roman=20 Numerals...follow up question

Here's a follow-up question to=20 Diana's...
 
My Greek language students asked me = how the=20 Greeks wrote their numbers...clearly they didn't use Roman = numerals...they=20 didn't use Arabic ones, right? So how did they do their math, = with what=20 kind of notation?
Cheers, Janice
----- Original Message ----- =
From:=20 Diana = Wright
To: Classics
Sent: Sunday, March 03, = 2002 5:34=20 PM
Subject: Roman = Numerals

I have the feeling this is = something that=20 everyone knows except me.
 
I was reading an inscription on a = dignified=20 building & got to wondering how the Romans said their=20 numbers.  Like  MCCCXXVII -- I say=20 em-cee-cee-cee-ex-ex-vee-ai-ai, but I'm fairly sure they=20 didn't.

DW
------=_NextPart_000_0083_01C1C2E1.506AEF20-- .