23. Yoma 35 b.
24. Peah viii. 8, 9.
To these many like details might be added.25 Sufficient has been said to show the two
ends of society: the exceeding dearness of luxuries, a nd the corresponding cheapness of
necessaries. Such extremes would meet especially at Jerusalem. Its population, computed
at from 200,000 to 250,000,26 was enormously swelled by travellers, and by pilgrims
during the great festivals.27 The great Palace was the residence of King and Court, with
all their following and luxury; in Antonia lay afterwards the Roman garrison. The Temple
called thousands of priests, many of them with their families, to Jerusalem; while the
learned Academies were filled with hundreds, though it may have been mostly poor,
scholars and students. In Jerusalem must have been many of the large warehouses for the
near commercial harbour of Joppa; and thence, as from the industrial centres of busy
Galilee, would the pedlar go forth to carr y his wares over the land. More especially
would the markets of Jerusalem, held, however, in bazaars and streets rather than in
squares, be thronged with noisy sellers and bargaining buyers. Thither would Galilee
send not only its manufactures, but its pro visions: fish (fresh or salted), fruit28 known for
its lusciousness, oil, grape-syrup, and wine. There were special inspectors for these
markets - the Agardemis or Agronimos - who tested weights and measures, and officially
stamped them,29 tried the soundness of food or drink,30 and occasionally fixed or lowered
the market-prices, enforcing their decision, 31 if need were, even with the stick.32 33 Not
only was there an upper and a lower market in Jerusalem,34 but we read of at least seven
special markets: t hose for cattle,35 wool, iron-ware,36 clothes, wood,37 bread, and fruit and
vegetables. The original market-days were Monday and Tuesday, afterwards Friday. 38
The large fairs (Yeridin) were naturally confined to the centres of import and export - the
borders of Egypt (Gaza), the ancient Phoenician maritime towns (Tyre and Acco), and
the Emporium across the Jordan (Botnah).39 Besides, every caravansary, or khan (qatlis,
atlis, καταλυσις), was a sort of mart, where goods were unloaded, and especially cattle
set out 40 for sale, and purchases made. But in Jerusalem one may suppose the sellers to
have been every day in the market; and the magazines, in which greengrocery and all
kinds of meat were sold (the Beth haShevaqim ),41 must have been always open. Besides,
there were the many shops (Chanuyoth) either fronting the streets, or in courtyards, or
else movable wooden booths in the streets. Strangely enough, occasionally Jewish
wome n were employed in selling.42 Business was also done in the restaurants and
wineshops, of which there were many; where you might be served with some dish: fresh
or salted fish, fried locusts, a mess of vegetables, a dish of soup, pastry, sweetmeats, or a
piece of a fruit-cake, to be washed down with Judĉan or Galilean wine, Idumĉan
vinegar, or foreign beer.
25. Comp. Herzfeld's Handelsgesch.
26. Ancient Jerusalem is supposed to have covered about double the area of the modern
city. Comp. Dr. Schick in A.M. Luncz, 'Jerusalem,' for 1882.
27. Although Jerusalem covered only about 300 acres, yet, from the narrowness of
Oriental streets, it would hold a very much larger population than any Western city of the