passive income The Quiet Fortune Machines: Why Vending Has Endured for Over 2,000 Years Learn How To Begin Yours Long before smartphones, e-commerce, or even modern retail, a Greek engineer named Heron of Alexandria created something remarkable. Around the first century AD, Heron invented a coin-operated device designed to dispense a measured amount of holy water when a coin was inserted. The By Will Huffhine • 4 min read