Why do the Olympic Games use Roman numerals?

The Olympic Games use Roman numerals because they measure time in Olympiads — the ancient Greek four-year cycle between games. According to the official Olympic Charter, each Summer Games is formally designated as the 'Games of the [Roman Numeral] Olympiad', honouring classical antiquity and providing a permanent historical record.

Which cities have hosted the most Olympic Games?

London was the first city to host three Summer Olympic Games (IV in 1908, XIV in 1948, XXX in 2012). Paris joined the three-time club in 2024 (II in 1900, VIII in 1924, XXXIII in 2024). Los Angeles will become the third city to host three times in 2028 (X in 1932, XXIII in 1984, XXXIV in 2028).

The Games of the Olympiad

Olympic Roman Numerals

Q: What Roman numeral will the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics be?

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will officially be the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad (34th Olympiad), taking place July 14–30, 2028.

Q: Why were cancelled Olympic games still given Roman numerals?

An Olympiad is a continuous four-year period of time, not merely a sporting competition. Because time itself cannot be cancelled, the VI Olympiad (1916), XII Olympiad (1940), and XIII Olympiad (1944) were officially counted in the Olympic Charter even though the games were cancelled due to World War I and World War II.

Q: Do the Winter Olympics use Roman numerals?

Yes, but with a major difference: Winter Olympic Games are numbered by the actual edition held, not by Olympiads (four-year periods). When the 1940 and 1944 Winter Games were cancelled, their numbers were dropped entirely. The 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina are officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games (25th edition).

By official International Olympic Committee (IOC) charter, every modern Summer Olympic Games is designated by a Roman numeral representing its four-year Olympiad cycle. Look up any Olympiad from Athens 1896 to Brisbane 2032.

Enter an Olympiad number (1–35), Year (e.g. 2024), or City (e.g. Paris)

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Complete List of Modern Olympiads (I – XXXV)

All 35 official Olympiad cycles from the revival in 1896 through 2032

💡 Click any row for full story & details

#	Roman	Year	Host City	Country	Key Highlight	Status
1	I	1896	Athens	Greece	Inaugural Games of the modern era; 14 nations, 241 athletes Details →	Held
2	II	1900	Paris	France	Held during the 1900 World's Fair; first female Olympic competitors Details →	Held
3	III	1904	St. Louis	United States	First Olympic Games in the Americas; gold, silver, and bronze medals introduced Details →	Held
4	IV	1908	London	Great Britain	First athletes' parade; official marathon distance of 26.2 miles established Details →	Held
5	V	1912	Stockholm	Sweden	First use of electronic timing devices and public address sound system Details →	Held
6	VI	1916	Berlin	Germany	Cancelled due to World War I; Olympiad cycle officially counted by IOC Details →	Cancelled
7	VII	1920	Antwerp	Belgium	Debut of the Olympic rings flag, release of doves, and the Olympic Oath Details →	Held
8	VIII	1924	Paris	France	Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" introduced; closing ceremony ritual born Details →	Held
9	IX	1928	Amsterdam	Netherlands	The Olympic Flame was lit for the first time in modern Olympic history Details →	Held
10	X	1932	Los Angeles	United States	First purpose-built Olympic Village; three-tiered victory podiums introduced Details →	Held
11	XI	1936	Berlin	Germany	Jesse Owens wins four golds; inaugural torch relay from Ancient Olympia Details →	Held
12	XII	1940	Tokyo / Helsinki	Japan / Finland	Cancelled due to World War II; officially counted as the XII Olympiad Details →	Cancelled
13	XIII	1944	London	Great Britain	Cancelled due to World War II; officially counted as the XIII Olympiad Details →	Cancelled
14	XIV	1948	London	Great Britain	The "Austerity Games" following WWII; London's second time hosting Details →	Held
15	XV	1952	Helsinki	Finland	Soviet Union enters Olympic competition; Emil Zátopek wins three distance golds Details →	Held
16	XVI	1956	Melbourne	Australia	First Games in the Southern Hemisphere; equestrian events held in Stockholm Details →	Held
17	XVII	1960	Rome	Italy	Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) wins gold; first worldwide live television broadcast Details →	Held
18	XVIII	1964	Tokyo	Japan	First Games hosted in Asia; Shinkansen bullet train unveiled for the event Details →	Held
19	XIX	1968	Mexico City	Mexico	High altitude creates world records; Dick Fosbury revolutionises the high jump Details →	Held
20	XX	1972	Munich	West Germany	Mark Spitz wins historic seven gold medals in swimming Details →	Held
21	XXI	1976	Montreal	Canada	Nadia Comăneci scores the first perfect 10.0 in Olympic gymnastics history Details →	Held
22	XXII	1980	Moscow	Soviet Union	Major 66-nation boycott led by the United States over Afghanistan invasion Details →	Held
23	XXIII	1984	Los Angeles	United States	Carl Lewis matches Jesse Owens' four golds; 14-nation Eastern Bloc boycott Details →	Held
24	XXIV	1988	Seoul	South Korea	Steffi Graf completes Golden Slam; table tennis and tennis join Olympic sports Details →	Held
25	XXV	1992	Barcelona	Spain	USA "Dream Team" basketball; South Africa returns after end of apartheid Details →	Held
26	XXVI	1996	Atlanta	United States	Centennial Olympic Games; Muhammad Ali lights cauldron; Michael Johnson 200m/400m Details →	Held
27	XXVII	2000	Sydney	Australia	Celebrated as the "Games of the New Millennium"; Cathy Freeman wins 400m gold Details →	Held
28	XXVIII	2004	Athens	Greece	Olympic Games return to their birthplace; Michael Phelps wins 6 gold medals Details →	Held
29	XXIX	2008	Beijing	China	Usain Bolt sets 100m and 200m world records; Michael Phelps wins eight golds Details →	Held
30	XXX	2012	London	Great Britain	London becomes the first city to host the modern Olympic Games three times Details →	Held
31	XXXI	2016	Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	First Olympic Games in South America; historic Refugee Olympic Team debuts Details →	Held
32	XXXII	2020	Tokyo	Japan	Postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic; officially retained "Tokyo 2020" Details →	Held
33	XXXIII	2024	Paris	France	Centennial Paris return; opening ceremony on the River Seine; 10,714 athletes Details →	Held
34	XXXIV	2028	Los Angeles	United States	Scheduled for July 14–30, 2028; Los Angeles becomes third 3-time host city Details →	Scheduled
35	XXXV	2032	Brisbane	Australia	Scheduled for July 23 – August 8, 2032; Australia's third hosting Details →	Scheduled

Note: The VI (1916), XII (1940), and XIII (1944) Olympiads were cancelled due to World War I and II, but their Roman numerals remain permanently preserved in the Olympic Charter.

What is an Olympiad? (And Why Cancelled Games Count)

In ancient Greece (dating back to 776 BC), an Olympiad was not the athletic festival itself — it was the four-year span of time between celebrations. Ancient Greek historians used Olympiads as their calendar dating system.

When Pierre de Coubertin revived the modern Games in 1896, he preserved this principle: the passage of an Olympiad is unbroken. Even though World War I prevented the 1916 Berlin Games (VI) and World War II halted 1940 Tokyo/Helsinki (XII) and 1944 London (XIII), the four-year periods still occurred. Thus, Paris 2024 was officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, even though it was only the 30th Summer Games actually celebrated.

Summer vs. Winter: A Crucial Numbering Difference

While the Summer Games are tied to four-year calendar Olympiads, the Olympic Winter Games operate on an entirely different system.

Created in 1924, Winter Games are numbered strictly by actual editions held, not by Olympiads. When the 1940 and 1944 Winter Games were cancelled by WWII, their numbers were dropped rather than preserved. As a result, the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina are officially designated the XXV Olympic Winter Games (the 25th edition held), while the Summer Games are already in their 34th Olympiad (XXXIV).

Eras of the Modern Olympiads

How the Roman numerals track Olympic history across four distinct epochs

Just like Super Bowl numbering, Olympic Roman numerals reflect clear mathematical and historical milestones:

I – IX 1896 – 1928

The Classical Revival: From Athens (I) to Amsterdam (IX). Birth of the rings, modern marathon, flame, and oath rituals.

9 Olympiad Cycles

X – XIX 1932 – 1968

Global Expansion: First Games in Americas (X), wartime disruptions (XII, XIII), Southern Hemisphere (XVI), and Asia (XVIII).

10 Olympiad Cycles

XX – XXIX 1972 – 2008

The Modern Spectacle: Cold War boycotts (XXII, XXIII), commercial revival, Barcelona Dream Team (XXV), through Beijing (XXIX).

10 Olympiad Cycles

XXX – XXXV 2012 – 2032

The 21st Century: London 3rd hosting (XXX), South America debut (XXXI), Tokyo postponement (XXXII), Paris 2024 (XXXIII), LA 2028 (XXXIV).

6 Olympiad Cycles

Frequently Asked Questions

What Roman numeral was the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games were officially designated as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (the 33rd Olympiad). In Roman numerals, XXXIII represents 10 + 10 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 33.

What Roman numeral will the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics be?

The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will officially be the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad (the 34th Olympiad). In Roman numerals, XXXIV breaks down as XXX (30) + IV (4) = 34.

Which cities have hosted the most Olympiads?

Only three cities in world history have been selected to host the Summer Olympic Games three times: London (1908 IV, 1948 XIV, 2012 XXX), Paris (1900 II, 1924 VIII, 2024 XXXIII), and Los Angeles (1932 X, 1984 XXIII, 2028 XXXIV).

Why were cancelled Olympic Games given Roman numerals?

Under the Olympic Charter, an Olympiad is a calendar cycle of four consecutive years. Because historical time marches on regardless of wars, the VI Olympiad (1916), XII Olympiad (1940), and XIII Olympiad (1944) were officially registered in IOC records even though hostilities prevented the athletic contests from occurring.

Do the Winter Olympics use Roman numerals?

Yes, official medals and branding use Roman numerals, but they count actual games celebrated rather than four-year Olympiad periods. The 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina are officially the XXV Olympic Winter Games (the 25th edition held).

Super Bowl Roman Numerals

The NFL has used Roman numerals for over 55 years. Explore every game from Super Bowl I to LXI.

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Universal Roman Numeral Converter

Convert any number from 1 to 3,999 to Roman numerals with an instant interactive step-by-step breakdown.

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