ACTA DIURNA · Spring 2026 · Torch: U.S.
19
23
For centuries, no comparable news outlet emerged. It was only in the early-seventeenth century that the first printed newspaper Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien took shape in Strasbourg under the Holy Roman Empire. Johan Carolus established this news bulletin as a way for the public to stay up to date with news in an affordable way. Although it was first printed in 1605, the earliest copy of this newspaper that survived is the 1609 issue. A title page would bind all the issues published that year. This publication continued until the late-seventeenth century.
Since then, many newspapers have spread worldwide, and newspapers themselves have become a popular source of information for the public, peaking in the early-twentieth century. Currently, with the surge in technological developments, while printed newspapers are still being printed, many popular news outlets have shifted to digital platforms — such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Although no copies of the Acta Diurna have survived, its legacy endures. The purpose of modern newspapers traces back to this Roman innovation: to provide information about civic and political events to the public. At its core, journalism calls for transparency of information, as demonstrated by Caesar’s decision to make the gazette available to the public. The Acta Diurna established the foundation for journalism and modern news outlets.
The 1609 issue of Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien survives.
The Washington Post gets many views online.
The Wall Street Journal goes digital.
The recent copy of the New York Times features that day's top headlines.