Compound Numbers and Numerals in Greek

Abstract

An examination of the word order in which Greek literary texts, up to circa 325 bce, record compound numbers (e.g., “twenty-four”) illuminates two problems: the transmission of numbers in those texts, and the expansion of “commercial” numeracy in Greek society. Compound numbers occur both in descending (“twenty-four”) and ascending (“four and twenty”) order. The prevalence of ascending-ordered numbers in these literary texts argues for their having been transmitted as words, not numerals. The proportion of numbers written in descending order differs among authors, and is correlated with a stronger presence of “commercial” numeracy. The evidence of inscriptions and papyri concurs.