Market of Sertius
About
A colonnaded market building went up along Timgad's decumanus maximus, southwest of where Trajan's Arch would later stand, covering roughly 1,200 square meters. It took its name from Sertius, a wealthy local citizen whose family also kept a grand townhouse nearby. The complex belongs to Timgad's later growth, built as the colony spread past its original 12-hectare grid in the 3rd and 4th centuries CE. In 117 CE the ground it occupies lay outside the city's first walls. Sources disagree on this building's date: most place the market and its adjoining textile hall in the 3rd-4th century expansion, though at least one summary suggests an early 2nd-century origin. Marked not-yet-built by default per house style given the conflict.
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
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