,
10 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
Getting ready for the @archaeology_aia talk at #ualberta: our own prof Christopher S Mackay, “count like a Roman”
As all good talks do, we start with Latin! How do you “count”? Gestus digitorum, gestus computationis and computation
Romans used Roman numerals and so didn’t “see” the numbers the way we did: so how did Romans count? How do you add subtract etc Roman numerals, esp with no “0”
We’re looking at a medieval manuscript (and learning a transferable skill!) to learn how to count Roman numerals — like a Roman —on your fingers. Start by dividing your hand into thirds: 10s, 100s, & 1000s, with yer thumb representing 0
We’re now all trying to count on our fingers and ain’t no way my old fingers are going to bend correctly to form the numbers
But trust me! That looks like a way cool way to count right up through the thousands
“Subtract 7 from 8 and the remainder is 6” (riddle as evidenced for how to make “6” in gestures). And the riddle / joke works visually and is even funnier in Latin
Evidence for counting gestures come from literary texts, counters/gaming pieces, and reliefs showing business scenes with people holding their fingers in calculations
And understanding finger counting helps to explain the Apuleius’ defence re the correct age difference between Apuleius and his older wife: Pudentilla was only 40 not 60
A fine time was had by all at the Counting Like Romans talk and me and my stiff fingers are very happy to have a pocket calculator in my phone.
