Encyclopedia > Merchant

Article Content

Merchant

Merchants function as professional traders[?], dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves.

A merchant class characterises many pre-modern societies. Its status can range from high (even achieving titles like that of merchant prince[?] or nabob[?]) to low (note the soiling capabilities of "mere" trade).

Featured Article

Jordanes

... and was a notary of Gothic kings in Italy. At the time of Justinian, he was a Christian and possibly bishop of Croton. In approximately 580, he wrote "De origine actibusque ...