VCCLXVIII

VCCLXVIII is a non‑standard Roman numeral that represents the integer 273. In classical Roman numeral notation the number 273 is normally written CCLXXIII (200 + 50 + 20 + 3). The form VCCLXVIII uses an additive construction in which the initial V (5) precedes the larger values CC (200), L (50), X (10) and VIII (8). This arrangement does not follow the conventional subtractive rules that developed in the late Republic, but it does appear in a limited number of medieval and epigraphic sources where additive sequences were occasionally employed for clarity or aesthetic reasons.

The numeral is occasionally encountered in catalogues, inscriptions, and medieval manuscripts that preserve older or regional counting systems. Scholars of epigraphy note that such additive forms can signal a transitional phase in the standardisation of Roman numerals, reflecting local practices before the widespread adoption of the subtractive notation (e.g., IV for 4, IX for 9). As a result, VCCLXVIII is of interest in the study of palaeography and the evolution of numeric representation in the Latin West.

In modern usage the numeral is rarely used outside of historical or recreational contexts, such as puzzles or novelty numbering. Unicode includes the individual Roman numeral characters, allowing the sequence VCCLXVIII to be displayed in digital texts. The form serves as a reminder that the Roman numeral system, while largely standardized, historically accommodated a variety of local conventions.