Source
brandnewset•

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing_press

Probably around this time. Paper bills probably would have been used on a limited (hand printed / expensive paper) before this though.

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[deleted]•

What's your criteria for fliers?

Because the Romans for sure were posting political information on walls around Pompeii.

But if you mean more of a pamphlet to be handed out, I know that there is a 12th century satirical love poem that was often copied and reproduced as a slim book without covers.

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SkipHashOP•

I'm primarily looking at the effect of the printing press on politics and science during the renaissance and scientific enlightenment.

I presume the Romans painted on the walls?

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[deleted]•

Book fairs were popular by the 1520s in Frankfurt, but that's a bit late in the game as there was at least ten million books published by the beginning of the 16th century.

In the other direction, manuscripts were being written on paper as early as the 14th century.

Edit - Yeah, the Romans painted on their walls quite effectively as an ancient mass media.

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SkipHashOP•

I'd imagine that books were quite expensive though, and the masses were not so exposed to them?

Once I started search for 'pamphlets' I found quite a lot of information.

Thanks for your help. I'll have a look into Roman graffiti.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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SkipHashOP•

I mean it in the modern sense of a throw away piece of advertising. Not so bothered about materials as long as they can be mass produced. I'm interested in the Roman usage if you can give me a good source, but I am more interested in the middle ages because the printing press combined with paper allowed them to be produced cheaply.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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