I find the 666 number interesting. Don’t we all. It is obviously not just a number. It seems Revelation was written originally in Greek, not Aramaic as some think. Alpha and Omega are clearly a Greek thing. Koine Greek was the language of the day. Numbers in Koine Greek were written as letters. 666 is chi xi sigma. The first letter, known as chi is a voiceless ch. When "chi" (χ) is followed by "a" in Greek, it is pronounced as the voiceless "cha," similar to the "ch" in the Scottish word "loch." So it is not a strong consonant, it can be a bit like h, with more of a catching of the back of the tongue lightly against the roof of the mouth, not quite silent. The second letter is xi. In Greek, the letter "x" (ξ, xi) represents a different sound compared to "chi" (χ). The letter "x" is pronounced like the "x" in "box" or "ax," which is a voiceless "ks" sound. The final letter is sigma. In Greek, the letter "sigma" (σ) can appear in two forms: "σ" when it appears within a word and "ς" (final sigma) when it appears at the end of a word. In koine Greek pronunciation, final sigma (ς) is not silent; it is pronounced like the "s" in "sun." In English equivalents it could be dropped. The pronunciation of final sigma as "s" was consistent throughout the period of Koine Greek. For example, the word "κόσμος" would have been pronounced with an "s" sound at the end. When combined, the sequence would sound like "ch-ks-s" with typical vowels inserted. For example, if we use the vowel "a" between these consonants, it would sound like "χάξς" (pronounced "ch-aks-s"). In practice that would be a rare sequence. So chi-xi-sigma is a bit like you would get if there was a word ‘chaccis’. (It is slightly reminiscent of a word sounding like h’accis, and similar words - just saying.) Now if we take the numeric value of 666, it could have been represented in Roman Numerals of that time period. This was before the introduction of numeral M, for a thousand. The only numerals at the time were in descending order, DCLXVI. Interestingly, this is the number 666. Here’s the breakdown:
D = 500
C = 100
L = 50
X = 10
V = 5
I = 1
So, 500 + 100 + 50 + 10 + 5 + 1 = 666.
What might all this mean?
Looking at similar words to chi-xi-sigma since Roman times, the Latin word "cassa" (meaning "box" or "container") had practical usage in Roman times. The Romans used "cassa" to refer to physical boxes or chests for storing valuables, including money and important documents. In Roman times, such containers were essential for managing and safeguarding assets. For instance, they used chests for storing coins, documents, and other important items. The term "cassa" thus reflects this practical aspect of Roman life, where secure storage was crucial for financial and legal matters. So currency and finances seems to be a possible relationship to the letters of this number.
What about the aspect of the 666 as a mark?
The Greek word for the stamp or image on a coin was "τύπος" (týpos), which means "impression" or "mark." This term could refer to the actual design or stamp impressed upon the coin, which often included images of rulers, deities, or symbols. So a mark of 666 on the forehead could be related to the mark of a stamp turning a piece of metal into a coin. Again there is a possible link to currency and finances.
The fact that the numbers of all Roman Numerals in use in the time Revelation was written add up to 666 might be a hint to beware of a Roman-like system. If so, it might also hint at how wealth was stored and used. If you travel in Europe years ago you might have seen banks with the sign “Caxa”. In some cases it might still be in use today, although Caja is now the usual spelling. It means cash or cashier. Very similar to ch-xi-sigma? Looking back into the history of it, the word may have roots in the name Caesar. Other words deriving from Caesar are Tsar, Czar, Kaiser. It likely relates to Latin word “caesus”. The term "caesus" was associated with contexts of physical injury or the act of cutting. "Caesar" (derived from "caesus"), is traditionally believed to mean "cut" or "hewn," possibly in reference to a caesarean section, although this etymology is debated. It is quite similar to chi-xi-sigma, especially in its pronunciation as ch-aks-s. So a mark cut into the forehead might have all the makings of 666, along with associations with Rome and with currency. There might be a level of pun involved in the pronunciation similarity to the Greek representation of the number 666.
