Chalcidicum of Leptis Magna
About
A local benefactor built this colonnaded exchange around 11 or 12 CE, dedicating it to the cult of Augustus while the emperor himself was still alive. Its name echoes the arcaded trading halls of the Greek world, though what exactly changed hands inside is still debated. By 117 CE it stands only a few paces from the Arch of Trajan, raised at the very same crossroads just seven years earlier.
What happened here
Trade is regulated and everyone is aware of it. Weights and measures are checked against the standards kept by the aediles, and short measure gets you fined and named. Stalls are arranged by trade, with the fish and meat kept to one side and downwind where the town has any choice. Prices swing with the shipping season and are shouted rather than displayed. Much of the meat on sale has come from a sacrifice, so the religious calendar shows up in the supply. Slaves buying for a household argue harder than their owners would. The upper floors, where there are any, are offices and storage let by the town for rent. It opens at dawn and the good produce is gone by mid-morning.
Sources
Nearby
Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →