The use of Roman numerals in the event's name is a tradition that dates back more than fifty years. It serves both practical and aesthetic purposes. It began in 1971 when the Baltimore Ravens (then named the Colts) beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 to win the 1970 season. That game took the official name of Super Bowl V, which means Super Bowl 5.

As we prepare for the 59th edition of the National Football League final, we study why the league adopted the old numerals instead of modern numbers.

Super Bowl LIX kicks off on Sunday. What number is that, though? Here's how to use Roman numerals and why the NFL uses them for the championship game.

The Super Bowl's tradition of using Roman numerals to mark the league's showpiece event is a tradition that spans over 50 years.

With 59 years of history behind the big game, there are a lot of interesting facts about the Super Bowl to brush up on before Feb. 9.

The use of Roman numerals did not become an NFL tradition until Super Bowl V in 1971. The first two Super Bowls were known as the AFL-NFL world Championship Game. The name “Super Bowl” was officially adopted for the third annual game and the league retroactively added Roman numerals to the Super Bowls before 1971.

For nearly 60 years, the Super Bowl has become a central part of American culture well beyond the sphere of pro football. And for many, the Super Bowl also prompts the need to touch up on a certain other piece of culture that always re-enters the collective conscience around Super Bowl time.