Because that's where they originated from.
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The Arabic numbers for 1859 are 1859, the Roman numerals for 1859 are MDCCCLIX.
Because that's where they originated from the Hindu-Arabic numerals of: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 and 9
Arabic numerals are called that because the European interpretation of those numbers comes from the Arabs. The numerals are called Arabic numerals (even though they do not resemble modern Arabic numerals in the slightest) to distinguish them from Roman numerals.
Bear in mind that Roman numerals actually are numbers, they are just not the kind of numbers that we presently use, which are called Arabic numerals. Arabic numerals were first used in Europe in the year 976 AD. Roman numerals still have not entirely fallen out of use, although for most purposes we use Arabic numerals.
A) Arabic numerals are in numbers whereas Roman numerals are in letters.B) Even if Roman numerals are in letters the symbols are easier to understand, despite the fact that Australians and Americans and most probably you write numbers using the system of Arabic numerals.C) The system of Roman numerals was invented before the system of Arabic numerals, but people use the system of Arabic numerals to write more frequently.