Convert numbers between Arabic numerals and ancient Greek numerals using the Greek alphabetic numeral system.
Greek numerals are a system of writing numbers using the letters of the Greek alphabet. This system, also known as Ionic or Milesian numerals, was used by ancient Greeks and is still seen today in formal contexts, religious texts, and academic works. Unlike Roman numerals, Greek numerals assign numerical values to letters: α (alpha) = 1, β (beta) = 2, γ (gamma) = 3, and so on.
The Greek alphabetic numeral system uses 27 symbols: the 24 letters of the Greek alphabet plus three archaic letters (digamma, koppa, and sampi). Numbers 1-9 use the first nine letters, 10-90 use the next nine, and 100-900 use the final nine. To distinguish numerals from regular text, Greeks often added a keraia (ʹ) mark. For example, 15 is written as ιεʹ (iota-epsilon), combining ι (10) and ε (5).
While Arabic numerals dominate modern Greek writing, Greek numerals still appear in specific contexts: numbering chapters in books, denoting ordinal numbers (like "1st" or "2nd"), marking dates in formal documents, and in religious or historical texts. Understanding this system helps when reading ancient manuscripts or interpreting Greek inscriptions.
| Greek Letter | Value | Greek Letter | Value | Greek Letter | Value |
|--------------|-------|--------------|-------|--------------|-------|
| α (alpha) | 1 | ι (iota) | 10 | ρ (rho) | 100 |
| β (beta) | 2 | κ (kappa) | 20 | σ (sigma) | 200 |
| γ (gamma) | 3 | λ (lambda) | 30 | τ (tau) | 300 |
| δ (delta) | 4 | μ (mu) | 40 | υ (upsilon) | 400 |
| ε (epsilon) | 5 | ν (nu) | 50 | φ (phi) | 500 |
| ϛ (stigma) | 6 | ξ (xi) | 60 | χ (chi) | 600 |
| ζ (zeta) | 7 | ο (omicron) | 70 | ψ (psi) | 700 |
| η (eta) | 8 | π (pi) | 80 | ω (omega) | 800 |
| θ (theta) | 9 | ϟ (koppa) | 90 | ϡ (sampi) | 900 |
Special Markers:
- ʹ (keraia): Placed after numerals to distinguish them from text
- ͵ (lower keraia): Placed before letters to indicate thousands (e.g., ͵α = 1000)
42
μβʹ
365
τξεʹ
2024
͵βκδʹ
ρκγʹ
123
ωπηʹ
888
Units (1-9): α=1, β=2, γ=3, δ=4, ε=5, ϛ=6, ζ=7, η=8, θ=9
Tens (10-90): ι=10, κ=20, λ=30, μ=40, ν=50, ξ=60, ο=70, π=80, ϟ=90
Hundreds (100-900): ρ=100, σ=200, τ=300, υ=400, φ=500, χ=600, ψ=700, ω=800, ϡ=900
Note: ϛ (stigma), ϟ (koppa), and ϡ (sampi) are archaic letters used only as numerals.
Greek numerals refer to the ancient alphabetic system where letters represent numbers (α=1, β=2, etc.). Modern Greek uses Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) for everyday counting, just like English. Greek numerals are now mainly used in formal, academic, or religious contexts.
The Greek numeral system uses 27 symbols to represent units, tens, and hundreds. Since the modern Greek alphabet has only 24 letters, three archaic letters were retained exclusively for numerals: ϛ (stigma/digamma) for 6, ϟ (koppa) for 90, and ϡ (sampi) for 900.
For thousands (1000-9999), place a lower keraia (͵) before the letter. For example, ͵α = 1000, ͵β = 2000. For ten thousands and beyond, the ancient Greeks used the myriad system where Μ (mu with special notation) represented 10,000, though this is rarely used today.
Yes, but sparingly. Greek numerals appear in formal contexts like chapter numbering, ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd), dates on monuments, and religious texts. For everyday counting and mathematics, modern Greek uses Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) just like English.
The keraia (ʹ) is a diacritical mark placed after Greek numerals to distinguish them from regular words. Since Greek numerals use the same letters as the alphabet, the keraia signals 'this is a number, not a word.' For example, ιε could be part of a word, but ιεʹ clearly means 15.
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