That number is "Belphegor's Prime" - a palindromic prime with "666" in the center, flanked by 13 zeroes. The symbol for it is a bird glyph (right) found in the Voynich manuscript.
Belphegor was one of the seven princes of Hell, who seduced people "by suggesting to them ingenious inventions that will make them rich."
Image of Belphegor (seated on what appears to be a "close-stool") credit to J.A.S. Collin de Plancy, in the Dictionnaire Infernal, Paris : E. Plon, 1863. Page 55, via ZTF News.
Via Dr. Cliff Pickover and Neatorama. Can math wizards here offer any additional insights on the derivation or usage of the number?
as an aside, I thought that archaeological forensics have determined that the number was 616, not 666? NPR did a story about it: http://www.radiolab.org/2007/sep/10/the-greatest-hits-of-ancient-garbage/ (skip to 11 minutes in)
ReplyDeleteBut if the central digits were 616 instead of 666, then the number wouldn't be prime, would it (sum of digits = 15 = divisible by three)???
DeleteIt depended on the language... In Hebrew Gematria (assigning numbers to letters), 666 are the Greek numbers for Nero. 616 would be the Latin version of the same name. So both could be correct, depending on the translation.
Delete(Of course, there are other theories.. but this provides a reasonable explanation for the existence of both numbers)
Yeah, early manuscripts have 616, which isn't proof that was the "original" number, but makes it very possible. Alternative is it was an early variant.
ReplyDeleteBoth numbers, in Hebrew numerology can spell out Emporer Nero in slightly different ways.
No larger meaning than the anti-Roman author of Revelations having a bit of fun.
Also wait- does the number itself appear in the Voynich manuscript? Did that contain decodable numbers?
ReplyDeleteAgree. I wanted to know the same thing. I find this claim dubious.
DeleteI don't believe there was a claim that the number was in the Voynich manuscript; rather, that someone needing a glyph to represent the number harvested one from there. But I don't know.
Deleterats I got excited some decipherment had been done.
DeleteAbbie. I saw some news of interest to voynich manuscript nerds such as ourselves today.
DeleteThat symbol - who decided that it's the symbol for this particular number?
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain the origins of why this number is assigned to Nero? I understand the number's significance but not sure "why Nero". Also, is it coincidence that the symbol looks like an inverted PI?
ReplyDeleteBelated reply, but in numerology, numbers are assigned to letters. The letters of Nero's name correspond to these numbers (666 for the Greek version, 616 for the Latin one)
DeleteAs to why the author of revelation would be calling Nero "the Beast", you only need to look up the early persecution of the Christians under Nero to understand that.