| "Merchants of Discord" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Author | Laura Frankos |
| First Appearance | Crime Through Time III |
| Reprinted | No |
| Collected | No |
| Genre(s) | Historical, Mystery |
| Publication date | 2000 |
"Merchants of Discord" is a short story by Laura Frankos published in the anthology Crime Through Time III, edited by Sharan Newman, 2000. It is a historical mystery set in the Roman fort of Brocolitia along Hadrian's Wall in the 3rd century.
Quintus Vestinus Corvus, a decurion of Brocolitia under the prefect Claudius Appelinus, takes charge of four merchants who arrive to sell their wares. The merchants hate each other, and bicker constantly. When the merchant Secundinius is stabbed to death at a shrine, Corvus must identify the killer.
Literary comment[]
The editorial introduction states that the story is set in the 1st century, but this is plainly in error, as construction did not begin on Hadrian's Wall until the 2nd century. Further, surviving records show that Claudius Apellinus was a prefect of Britannia Inferior in the 3rd century.
See Also[]
- "Farmers' Law", Harry Turtledove's contribution to Crime Though Time III.
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