A.T. Robertson Commentary Matthew 20:3

"And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;" — Matthew 20:3 (ASV)

Standing in the marketplace idle (εστωτας αγορα αργους). The market place was the place where men and masters met for bargaining. At Hamadan in Persia, Morier in Second Journey through Persia, as cited by Trench in his Parables, says: "We observed every morning, before the sun rose, that a numerous band of peasants were collected, with spades in their hands, waiting to be hired for the day to work in the surrounding fields."