Greek Numeration

System
 The Greek numbering system was
uniquely upon their alphabet.

 The Greek alphabet came from the

Phoenicians around 900 B.C.
 was an ancient civilization
composed of independent city-
states located along the coast of
the Mediterranean sea stretching
through what is now Syria,
Lebanon and northern Israel.
Attic Numerals
 began around 600 B.C

Ionic Numeras
 Began around 200 B.C
Additive

Not positional

No zero
M probably stands for “myriad”
which means a large number
Additive

Not Positional

No zero
 Symbols were the 24 letters of the 24 letters
of the Greek Alphabets and 3 obsolete
letters
 alphabetical 1-9

 Notice that 6 is represented by the symbol for the obsolete letter

digamma.

 alphabetical 10-90

 Notice that 90 is represented by the symbol for the obsolete letter koppa.
 alphabetical 100-900

 Notice that 900 is represented by the symbol for the

obsolete letter san.
Composite symbols were created to
overcome this problem. The numbers
between 1000 and 9000 were formed by
adding a subscript or superscript iota to the
symbols for 1 to 9.
Writing M below a numeral
indicated multiplying it by 10,000.