Number of the Beast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: " * In Roman numerals 666 represents all the numbers from 1 to 500 in descending order, namely D (500) + C (100) + L (50) + X (10) + V (5) + I (1), or DCLXVI. Robert Graves suggests in his study of pagan symbolism The White Goddess that this is an abbreviation for the Latin sentence Domitianus Caesar Legatos Xti Violenter Interfecit, or 'The Emperor Domitian violently killed the envoys of Christ'.

* Another reading in Roman numerals regards DCLXVI as an anagram of DIC LVX, which is then supposed to be an abbreviation of dicit lux, 'the light speaks.'"