The Roman numeral system is a numeral system originating from ancient Rome. It uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to represent numbers. The main symbols are I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500), and M (1000). Numbers are formed by combining these symbols, with larger values placed before smaller ones to indicate addition, and smaller values before larger ones to indicate subtraction. This system was widely used throughout the Roman Empire for various purposes, including trade, military, and record-keeping. Although it has largely been replaced by the more efficient Arabic numeral system, Roman numerals are still used today in specific contexts, such as clock faces, book chapters, and movie titles.