Ancient Rome continues to amaze researchers. It turns out that the well-functioning and clarity of the work of the ancient Roman mail could compete in the quality of service with the modern one. But by mail it was possible not only to send letters, parcels and goods, but also to make tourist trips.
Instruction manual
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Transport arteries of ancient Rome
If you were at the turn of the era in the Roman Empire, then you could take an exciting journey through the country - with real comfort, along the transport arteries that were luxurious at the time.
The Roman roads, preserved to this day, are the pride of the Empire and the first monument to the communications of the Ancient World. They, like a web, entangled all provinces, and became a bastion of a successful economy and military superiority over the neighbors of Rome.
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Roman roads, freight and money
Roads could be used only by military, civil servants and post offices. The maintenance of roads, as a rule, lay on the shoulders of the landowners, to whose lands these transport arteries adjoined, which the land owners were incredibly happy about. Inns, with taverns and hotels, brought them considerable income.
Along the roads stood milestones indicating the distance — either to Rome itself or to a large populated center. In the inns there were special lounges designed for military, business travelers and postal workers. In the stables there were without fail “fresh” horses. Like regular buses, several times a day, at a strictly defined time and on a strictly defined route, mail carriages and wagons went on the road. The world's first Akta newspaper was delivered by the postal service. According to sources, mail was moving at speeds up to 120 Roman miles per day (about 177 km). A huge impetus for the development of communications was made by Emperor Augustus. He not only systematized the entire movement through the blood vessels of the country, but also approved two postmasters, sea and land. Mail has become a separate state structure. And under Emperor Trajan, when there was not enough money in the treasury, a "jubilee" series of coins was issued that promoted the construction of roads.
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Roman travel and bank transfers
Private crews were forbidden to use roads. The military postal route was unshakable. However, over time, any citizen of the empire for a fee could travel these roads in the mail crews. Superbly organized banking system allows you not to take cash on the road. It was enough to have something like personal checks with which the owner could receive money at the nearest "bank branch, and there were a lot of such money. Not only mail carriages, but also military patrols ran along the roads. By the way, complaints about robbery almost 300 years from the beginning of the reforms of the Emperor Augustus - there were no documented documents
It is known that sea and river regular mail and freight were paid with special tokens - tessers. Unfortunately, despite the huge amount of archaeological material, issues of sea mail and its functioning are poorly studied.
Anyone with the means could carry out long trips with visits to attractions scattered throughout the Roman Empire. The traveler was given a silver goblet on the road, and in every place or city where our “tourist” visited, the name of the City or Terrain was engraved on the goblet. Such cups are kept in museums and private collections.
The common phrase that Rome has ruined luxury - probably refers to the beginnings of the most ancient tourism on the planet.
- Lee Shin Guo. Ancient Rome Post
- Mommsen. History of Ancient Rome
- Edward Gibon The sunset and fall of the Roman Empire
- Travels in the ancient world
