Notes from a Small Press

Whining About Publishing Since 139 AD

The article traces the origins of organized publishing to ancient Rome, where wealthy patron Atticus built a slave‑run workshop to copy Cicero’s essays and later expanded to a full‑scale book‑selling business on the Argiletum street. By the second century AD the Argiletum bustled with booksellers, public readings, and scroll advertisements, creating a thriving market for literary works. Authors received no royalties; writers like Martial complained that their widely distributed scrolls earned them nothing. The piece highlights how early publishing relied on physical labor, open copying, and author‑driven promotion.