Shopping in Ancient Rome

Shopping in ancient Rome was a highly developed and diverse system, shaped by extensive trade networks across the empire and beyond. Goods from within the Roman world and imported products from distant regions were brought to the capital through major ports such as Puteoli, Ostia, and Portus. From there, they were transported into the city via the Tiber River and Rome’s vast road network. Once in Rome, large warehouses known as horrea lined the riverbanks, storing imported goods before they were distributed and sold.

A wide range of products was available for purchase in the city, including food, wine, clothing, perfumes, slaves, animals, spices, jewelry, weapons, tools, and furniture. Roman consumers had access to many different forms of retail. These included exclusive shops in and around the fora, street vendors, small family-run businesses, specialized boutiques, and wholesale emporia along the Tiber that stretched for miles.

Porticoes throughout the city also played an important commercial role. Many contained rows of shops, and this tradition continued in various forms into the medieval and Renaissance periods. These covered walkways were attached to public buildings, temples, and civic spaces, creating sheltered areas where commerce could thrive year-round.

During the festival of Saturnalia, small gift items known as sigillaria were commonly exchanged. Temporary market stalls likely appeared in areas such as the Campus Martius. These seasonal markets functioned in a way similar to modern holiday markets.

Large-scale commercial districts developed along the Tiber River, particularly in the area now known as Testaccio. This district was closely associated with Monte Testaccio, an artificial mound formed from millions of discarded amphorae that had once contained olive oil and wine. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Forum Vinarium, a marketplace associated with the wine trade, was located on the Aventine Hill between the Pons Aemilius and the area of the Villa Farnesina. Docklands and warehouses extended along the river, supporting trade in a wide variety of goods. Specialized markets included the Forum Boarium for cattle, the Forum Holitorium for vegetables, and the Forum Pistorium for bread and baked goods. Warehouses in these areas stored imported products, while livestock sold at market were likely moved outside the city by the end of the day if unsold.

Elite retail spaces were concentrated around the Roman Forum and its major streets. Literary and epigraphic evidence refers to luxury trades such as flower wreath sellers on the Via Sacra and gold-embroidered garment makers (aurivestrices) operating in prominent public locations.

Rome also contained several known horrea associated with specialized goods. The Horrea Agrippiana, located on the Vicus Tuscus near the Roman Forum, likely stored high-value luxury items such as dyes and textiles. The Horrea Piperataria, located beneath the Basilica of Maxentius, stored spices and incense imported from the eastern provinces and beyond.

North of the Roman Forum lay additional market zones, including the Forum Piscarium, which dealt in fish, and the Forum Cuppedinis, associated with luxury food items. The Forum Suarium, dedicated to pork, was likely located in the northern Campus Martius near modern Via di Propaganda, and is attested in inscriptions dating to around 200 CE.

While most Roman cities featured a central macellum, or covered food market, archaeological evidence for such a structure in Rome itself is limited. Literary sources and coinage suggest that Nero constructed the Macellum Magnum on the Caelian Hill, though its remains have not been definitively identified. It is often associated with the area near modern Santo Stefano Rotondo.

Smaller-scale retail was conducted in tabernae, which were common throughout the Roman world. Well-preserved examples can be found in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Ostia Antica, while in Rome itself, tabernae have been identified in the Markets of Trajan, demonstrating the integration of retail within major imperial architecture.

Bibliography:

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• Ellis, Steven J. R. The Roman Retail Revolution: The Socio-Economic World of the Taberna. Oxford University Press, 2018.
• Holleran, Claire. Shopping in Ancient Rome: The Retail Trade in the Late Republic and the Principate. Oxford University Press, 2012.
• Temin, Peter. “The Economy of the Early Roman Empire.” Journal of Economic Perspectives 20, no. 1 (2006): 133–151.
• Van Oyen, Astrid. The Socio-Economics of Roman Storage: Agriculture, Trade, and Family. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
• Young, Gary K. Rome’s Eastern Trade: International Commerce and Imperial Policy, 31 BC–AD 305. Routledge, 2001.