Roman numerals were developed in ancient Rome and were widely used throughout the Roman Empire. They originated from the Etruscan numeral system and were adapted and expanded by the Romans. Roman numerals were the primary numerical system used in the Western world for many centuries, from the Roman Empire through the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They have since been replaced by the more efficient Arabic numerals but are still commonly used in some contexts, such as in clock faces, book chapter numbering, and movie credits.