Easy Reading of Roman Numerals in Tarot

Reading Roman Numerals in Tarot
Understanding Roman numerals from I to XXI is essential to reading the Major Arcana. Each numeral marks a card and carries symbolic meaning.

Basic Values:
I = 1
V = 5
X = 10

When letters are repeated, their values are added:
II = 1 + 1 = 2
III = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3
XX = 10 + 10 = 20
XXI = 10 + 10 + 1 = 21

If a smaller number comes before a larger one, subtract it:
IV = one less than five = 4
IX = one less than ten = 9

If a smaller number comes after a larger one, add it:
VI = 5 + 1 = 6
VII = 5 + 1 + 1 = 7
XI = 10 + 1 = 11
XIII = 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 13

A combination of rules can appear in a single numeral:
XIV = 10 + (5 – 1) = 14
XIX = 10 + (10 – 1) = 19

This system makes it easy to identify the order of the Major Arcana and understand each card’s numerological meaning.

The Numbering of The Fool
The only Arabic numeral in the Major Arcana is 0, which appears on The Fool. This is because The Fool does not occupy a fixed position in the sequence. Instead of being “first,” The Fool represents both the beginning and the end (the alpha and omega) and serves as the querent or seeker who journeys through all the stages of life depicted in the tarot.