MMCCCLXXV

MMCCCLXXV is the classical Roman numeral notation for the integer 1775. The numeral is constructed from the additive symbols M (1000), C (100), L (50), X (10), and V (5). In this particular form the characters are arranged in descending order of value, as was customary in early Roman inscriptional practice, with no use of subtractive notation. The composition can be broken down as follows: two M’s for 2000, three C’s for 300, an L followed by two X’s for 70, and a V for 5, giving the total 2000 − 225 = 1775.

The value 1775 is significant in several historical contexts. In the Gregorian calendar it marks the year in which major events of the early American Revolution took place, such as the Continental Congress’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Monuments and documents from the period often record the year in Roman numerals; for example, the founding dates of many academic institutions in Europe are inscribed as MMCCCLXXV. In the realm of horology, several antique pocket watches bear the Roman numeral for 1775 on their dial to commemorate the year of their manufacture or a particular celebration.

Roman numerals remained in common use in the Western world into the 19th century, especially for dates on legal documents, technical drawings, and commemorative items. While the Arabic numeral system eventually supplanted them in everyday writing, Roman numerals have retained a prestigious role in modern contexts, such as on the faces of clocks or in the naming of monarchs and popes.

Because of its historical usage, MMCCCLXXV appears in academic literature dealing with numismatics, epigraphy, and the history of mathematics. It is also frequently encountered in cultural references that seek to evoke a sense of antiquity or continuity with classical antiquity.