Roman numerals: reading them aloud

Question

I have been told something that I question, namely that in Spanish roman numerals below XI are always read aloud as if they were ordinal numerals. Of course, this is the case with Carlos II (Carlos Segundo) and so on, but would written phrases such as “el numero II” be read aloud as “el segundo numero” or rather “el numero dos”?

Here is some further context: from Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s El Club Dumas, speaking of “láminas” or plates in a book: “En cuanto al tablero de ajedrez de la VII, sus casillas eran blancas en el ejemplar de Varo Borja y negras en el de Fargas. Y en la numerada VIII, el verdugo a punto de decapitar a una joven quedaba convertido, por efecto de un aura en torno a la cabeza, en arcángel vengador.” If I am reading these sentences aloud, would I say “de la septima” or “de la siete”? And, further on, would I say “en la numerada octava” or “en la numerada ocho”? Many thanks.

Sueño feliz de Gales. Bienvenido al fora. Good luck mate with both your dreaming and learning. - ray76, Jun 23, 2014

Answer 1

In English is not the same???????????????????

Answer 2

This thread agrees with what you were told and I'd agree when it comes to centuries etc but for your second example it depends on context. If it meant the second number in a list I'd say segundo but if it was the number 2 I'd say dos.

Your last example is tricky at first glance I think I'd go with cardinal but then because it says 'numerada' in the second part perhaps ordinal sound better there. Ayayay sorry not much help.