What was shopping like in ancient Rome?
Trajan’s Market is one of the first known shopping malls
Silks, spices, meat – the Romans could buy all this and more from Trajan’s Market. This multi-storey, semi-circular complex of 150 shops and offices, was built during the reign of Emperor Trajan, who ruled from 98 to 117 CE.
This early shopping centre was likely designed by Apollodorus of Damascus, the same architect who had designed Trajan’s Forum (the city centre) to commemorate the Emperor’s victory in war, built with the loot he brought back. The market was constructed using brick and concrete, which contrasted with the marble magnificence of the nearby Forum.
Reconstructing Trajan’s Market
We can discover much about Roman daily life from the ruins of the market
This article was originally published in How It Works issue 115
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