Market day

[Michael Kerr]

If you subscribe to Jstor there is a paper “Market-Days in the Roman Empire by Ramsay MacMullen that might have some answers. He mentions that in some provinces that for example might only produce one product like olive trees like in Southern Spain, northern Africa or north eastern Syria it was the responsibility of the landlords to supply a centre for the exchange of goods as markets were needed to supply the necessities of life. Vitruvius wrote

“Persons dependent on country produce must construct stables and booths in their courtyards and, in the main building, barns, store-rooms, and whatever else can best accommodate the storage of produce”.

Towns or vici might also establish fairs or market-days (nundinae) but permission had to be given from appropriate authorities for example in Italy from the Senate or consuls or governors elsewhere and later on the emperors. To have the privilege to hold markets brought profits, tolls and dues so authorities went out of their way to control nundinae lest they compete with each other and the traders could complete a circuit of all the local towns.
There was also a strong connection between religious festivals and commerce. In the west there was a link between shrines and fairs and MacMullen mentions how striking it is that archaeologists so often have found the remains of of shrines or temples are found in conjunction with rooms for the display of merchandise. Throughout the eastern provinces the holy days of gods were market days as well, and efforts were made to prevent possible conflicts in scheduling among the religious games of various cities.
Below is a map supplied with his paper showing various towns holding market-days in Italy. :-)

[attachment=12836]marketdays.jpg[/attachment]

Regards
Michael Kerr