拍卖这种特殊的交易方式早在公元前五世纪的东方国家——古巴比伦就已萌芽,当时拍卖标的以人为主,最早见诸于文字记载的拍卖是公元前500年左右古希腊著名历史学家希罗多德对古巴比伦婚姻市场上拍卖新娘的一段描述。以后,古希腊、古埃及都有拍卖活动,当时主持拍卖的均为社会贤达之士。拍卖行的产生则最早在古代罗马,时间约为公元前2世纪,此时拍卖标的已大为扩展,包括战利品、军服、武器、生活用品及各种商品。罗马 Auction of this special transaction as early as the fifth century BC Eastern countries - the ancient Babylon has been the sprout, the auction was the subject of people-oriented, the earliest recorded in the text of the auction is about 500 BC Ancient Greece well-known history Herodotus’s description of the auction of the bride on the marriage market in ancient Babylon. Since then, the ancient Greece, ancient Egypt have auction activities, was presided over the auction are the community of people. The earliest auction house in ancient Rome, about the second century BC, when the auction has greatly expanded the subject, including loot, uniforms, weapons, household items and various commodities. Rome