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.

Super Bowl week is back, which means Roman numerals are once again at the forefront of the public consciousness. As one of the only institutions that still uses Roman numerals, the NFL's choice brings certain level of ceremony to each Super Bowl.

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.

Ever wonder why the Super Bowl is labeled with Roman numerals? Dive into the history behind this tradition and how it became an iconic part of the NFL.

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.

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.

Donald Trump on Sunday will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl – but the former reality television star has a long and complicated history with the sport of football. During his first term as president,