Which came first the flat tax or the progressive tax though out history nations have used taxes but which tax?

Jonathan Schlussel: Ancient Rome invented the progressive tax, called the tributum, to pay for wars. Since Early Rome never taxed the poorest, I would have to say that the flat tax was invented after the progressive tax.See http://books.google.com/books?id=0cBFvThozfcC&pg=P....Ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom did not have money; instead they taxed goods produced in the fields or by workmen. This was a regressive tax since the powerful paid no taxes -- only the working class paid taxes.,...Show more