I'd never really thought about it, but someone pointed out to me recently that the Romans really did have to be able to multiply using their number system, regardless of the lack of zeros it offered. Just like we memorize up to 12x12, they had to memorize what letter combinations yielded what, and from that perform long multiplication. Oy!
It is explained in greater detail here. Read on and be amazed! Or don't and be normal.
http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/QQ/database/QQ.09.98/jenkinson1.html
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