1522 in Roman Numerals

1522 is written MDXXII in Roman numerals, 504 years in the past. Reading left to right, M + D + X + X + I + I add up to 1522, which is exactly why Roman-numeral years suit tattoos and dedications: the letters carry the date without a single Arabic digit.

MDXXII
1522 = MDXXIIA 1520s date for dedications and keepsakes
Making a date piece? The Roman numeral date generator turns a full day, month and year into a styled, downloadable image.

How MDXXII is formed

M1000
D500
X10
X10
I1
I1

M + D + X + X + I + I = 1000 + 500 + 10 + 10 + 1 + 1 = 1522.

Where MDXXII is used

A year numeral turns up in different places from a bare number. These are the four that send people looking for MDXXII.

  • Date tattoos and engravings. A year-only piece is just MDXXII, and a full date stacks the day and month above it. MDXXII is 6 characters long, which matters more than people expect: it sets how wide the bottom line of a stacked date will sit.
  • Copyright lines in credits. Film and television end credits have long set the copyright year in Roman numerals, so a production from 1522 carries MDXXII on its end card. If you are reading a numeral off a title sequence rather than writing one, this is usually the one you have found.
  • Cornerstones and dedications. Buildings, monuments and foundation stones carry their year in numerals, which is why MDXXII turns up carved rather than typed. Every year between 1500 and 1599 opens with MD, so on a datestone it is the letters after MD that tell you which year you are actually looking at.
  • Anniversaries. In 2026, a date from 1522 is 504 years old, so MDXXII is the numeral for a 504th anniversary this year. Wedding and birth years are the two most common reasons to want MDXXII written correctly.

Convert another year or number

1522 is written MDXXII in Roman numerals.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write the year 1522 in Roman numerals?

The year 1522 is written MDXXII. Reading left to right that is M (1000) + D (500) + X (10) + X (10) + I (1) + I (1), added together to reach 1522.

Why does MDXXII start with MD?

MD is the numeral for 1500, and every year from 1500 to 1599 opens with it. The letters after it, XXII, carry the remaining 22.

How is the year 1522 different from the number 1522?

They share the numeral MDXXII, but the year page focuses on dates, tattoos and dedications, while the number covers counting, chapters and general use. Same letters, different context.

Where will I see MDXXII written down?

MDXXII turns up on film and television copyright lines, foundation stones, memorials and date tattoos. If you are reading MDXXII off a title sequence or a building, you have found the year 1522.

Years people look up next

The decade anchors either side of 1522, its immediate neighbours, and the quarter and half century marks that anniversaries land on.