Online Chronogram Calculator
This is an online program to calculate Roman numberal chronograms.
You can access the program here: https://tyler-yates.github.io/chronogram-online/
Background
A chronogram is a sentence or inscription in which specific letters, interpreted as numerals, stand for a particular date when rearranged [1].
A chronogram is usually expressed as a phrase with unusual punctutation: valid Roman numeral characters are made upper-case to signify that they contribute to the date. Capitalization does not have to be at the start of a word.
For instance, see the following chronogram:
In honoreM
InsIgnIs athLetae
DIVI fLorIanI
IneXstrVCta
There are several upper-case letters in this chronogram:
I, M, I, I, I, L, D, I, V, I, L, I, I, I, X, V, C
If we add the Roman numeral value of all of these characters together:
1 + 1000 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 50 + 500 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 50 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 10 + 5 + 100
We get the date that inscription represented:
1729
Rules
The program using the following values when analyzing a given text to calculate the date:
| Character | Value |
|---|---|
| I | 1 |
| J | 1 |
| V | 5 |
| U | 5 |
| X | 10 |
| L | 50 |
| C | 100 |
| D | 500 |
| M | 1000 |
- The letter 'J' is given a value of 1 since it is often used to make the creation of a chronogram easier.
- The letter 'U' is given a value of 5 since Latin did not have the letter 'U' (read more here).
Further Reading
If you want to see more examples of chronograms have a look at the following book:
Chronograms: 5000 and More in Number by James Hilton, published in 1882