Original auctions
Original auctions
Documented by Greek historian Herodotus, one of the earliest recorded auctions took place in Babylon, where marriage auctions allowed bidders to compete for a bride’ s hand [ 1 ].
Setting aside the morality of such a use for the auction, the commercial design was born.
The Roman Empire later perfected the formula: victorious generals sold captured treasures and property sub hasta- literally“ under the spear”- signalling that everything on offer was legitimate war booty.
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