Everything Everywhere Daily

The History of Banks and Banking

85 snips
Apr 26, 2025
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Origins of Banking in Ancient Mesopotamia

  • Banking began in ancient Mesopotamia with secure storage of agricultural commodities like grain.
  • Temples and palaces acted as early banks issuing receipts that functioned like promissory notes.
INSIGHT

Roman Banking Advances

  • Roman banking formalized practices with legal frameworks and specialized roles.
  • Banking families operated sophisticated enterprises throughout the Mediterranean.
INSIGHT

Medieval Italian Banking Innovations

  • Italian merchant families revived banking in the 12th century, pioneering double-entry bookkeeping.
  • The Medici Bank innovated credit instruments to facilitate international trade safely.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app