It was 2000 BC when some ancient Egyptians decided it was time for them to start advertising their trade beyond the four walls of their physical offices. For the first time on the planet, tradespeople took their business to the streets, carving in notices on steel surfaces in hopes to capture those in most need of their services.
Soon after this practice gained footing, they added some papyrus into the mix to create sales messages and wall posters. Thus, the oldest form of classifieds can be traced back to the cradle of civilization.
Around 59 BC, the Roman Empire followed suit but uniquely by publishing bulletins that brought the people abreast with the government’s daily acts. By ordering from Julio Caesar himself, the notices were engraved in stone and metallic tablets and posted like notice boards in public places.
From the Roman Empire, the practice spread into Imperial China, during the Han dynasty—when news pieces were written on silk sheets and sent to government officials as “classified information”.
