Who taught Romans a system of writing and alphabet?

Answer 1

The Romans developed their own numeral system. It is thought that the Roman numeral system was derived from a tally system where tally marks were carved on wooden tally sticks which was in use in archaic Italy. This system was in use by shepherds in Italy until the 19th century. Thus, it originated from the notches of the tally mark system, which gave 1 as I, 2 as II and 3 as III. Every fifth notch there was the symbol Ʌ for 5, which was a double cut. The tenth notch was cross cut, giving a X. The system was originally complicated and was later simplified. The number 8 which had been IIIIVIII was abbreviated to ɅIII, where Ʌ represented four previous notches. A further abbreviation was to turn four, which had been four tally marks (IIII), into IɅ. Over the centuries with the development of the Latin alphabet the tally marks eventually became identified with the Latin letters I, V and X. Thus the symbol Ʌ was inverted to become V.

50 was written in a number of ways N, И, K, Ψ, ⋔ or ᗐ. It had acquired a standard symbol,⊥ , by the time of Augustus and later it was inverted as it became identified with the letter L. 100 was Ж, ⋉, ⋈, H. The symbols for 50 plus an extra stroke Ж (X superimposed on I) became the main one and was written as >I< or ƆIC. It was later abbreviated as Ɔ or C. C finally became the standard symbol because it was the initial letter of the word centum (hundred). 500 was a Ɔ superimposed on a ⋌ or ⊢ -. It became D or Ð by the time of Augustus and finally settled as the letter D. 1000 was an encircled X, Ⓧ. By the time of Augustus the Greek letter phi (Φ) was in use. It changed again to Ψ and ↀ, then to ∞ and then to⋈. Finally it became M, the first letter of the word mille (thousand).

There is a theory which holds that the Roman numeral system originated from hand signals for small number: I, II, III, and IIII were one, two, three or four raised fingers respectively. V represented the four raised fingers and the thumb held apart. 6 to 9 were the addition of extra raised fingers with the other hand and X came from crossing the thumbs or holding both hands up in a cross.

The Latin alphabet (the Romans were Latins) like the alphabets of all archaic (early) Italic peoples, was derived from the western Greek alphabet. The Greeks established colonies (settlements) in southern Italy in the 8th and 7th century BC. Being a more advanced civilisation, their arrival had a big impact on all the Italic peoples they came in contact with during the archaic period. As a result all Italic peoples, including the Latins, adopted and adapted this alphabet to develop their own written languages. More precisely, the Latins adopted and adapted the Cumanean alphabet, a variant of the western Greek alphabet which was used in the Greek city of Cumae (near Naples) which was the Greek city which was closest to Latium (land of the Latins).

Answer 2

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

Answer 3

The Romans adopted and adapted the western Greek alphabet to create their own written language. It is not known who did this. It was probably a process which involved several people.

Answer 4

The ancient Romans and the people they conquered used the Roman alphabet. It was the standard, even though the Greek alphabet was in wide use by the educated.

Answer 5

The Greeks.