the number four in roman numerals sometimes is also written as IIII instead of IV in ancient rome

Actually, the use of "IIII" instead of "IV" for representing the number four in Roman numerals is more of a modern misconception rather than a historical practice. In ancient Rome, the numeral system was quite consistent and logical:

• I represents 1.
• V represents 5.
• X represents 10.

The Roman numeral system uses additive and subtractive principles to represent numbers:

• Additive notation: Place numerals next to each other to add their values.
• Subtractive notation: Place a smaller numeral before a larger one to subtract its value from the larger one.

However, the subtractive principle has a limitation: it can only be used with I (1) and X (10) when placed before a larger numeral.

For example:

• IV means 1 less than V (5), so it equals 4.
• IX means 1 less than X (10), so it equals 9.

In ancient Rome, "IIII" was not an accepted representation of the number four. It's a misconception that has gained some popularity in the modern era due to misunderstandings or attempts to mimic early Roman numeral usage without accurate historical knowledge.

The correct and standard way to represent the number four in Roman numerals has always been "IV" throughout most of recorded history. Ancient Roman inscriptions typically use IV for the number four, as it aligns with the established rules of the Roman numeral system.