Definition:Greek Numerals/Attic System

Definition

The Greek numerals from the Attic period (c. 500 BCE to c. 300 BCE) are similar to the Roman system:

\(\ds \textsf{I}:\)

\(\)

\(\ds \)one\(\)

\(\ds \Pi:\)

\(\)penta\(:\)

\(\ds \)five\(\)

\(\ds \Delta:\)

\(\)deka\(:\)

\(\ds \)ten\(\)

\(\ds \Eta:\)

\(\)hekaton\(:\)

\(\ds \)one hundred\(\)

\(\ds \Xi:\)

\(\)chilioi\(:\)

\(\ds \)one thousand\(\)

\(\ds \Mu:\)

\(\)myriad\(:\)

\(\ds \)ten thousand\(\)

$\Pi$ was later written in a different form, with a shorter right leg, and from there it appears to have evolved into $\Gamma$.

Numbers were combined in a similar way to Roman numbers, but with additive forms only.

For example, $32718$ would have been written $\Mu \Mu \Mu \Xi \Xi \Eta \Eta \Eta \Eta \Eta \Eta \Eta \Delta \Pi \textsf {III}$.

Later evolutions introduced symbols for $50$, $500$ and $5000$, consisting of a tiny version of the appropriate power of $10$ nestled under the right hand (short) branch of the short-leg version of $\Pi$.

Such characters are difficult to render neatly, and as they are of limited importance, this has not been attempted on $\mathsf{Pr} \infty \mathsf{fWiki}$.

Sources

• 2008: Ian Stewart: Taming the Infinite ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $3$: Notations and Numbers: Greek numerals