Roman Postal System

[Johnny Shumate]

Did the Romans (1st century) have a postal service..?
Thanks!

[jvrjenivs]

Short question, short answer: Yes they had. It was called the cursus publicus, but was only for military service, not civil use.

[Arminius Primus]

Ave Fratres,

Maybe this discussion should have more input. We have the Vindolandia tablets, some of which are on non military subjects, but I guess addressed to officials and their dependents. ...But wasn't there also a request to a family for socks and underwear?

In later periods trusted merchants would take on the task of delivering letters and packages, did we also have that service during the empire? You could probably get a small package to any of the major port cities rather quickly, onward delivery from there may have been problematic.

The best thing about RAT is there is always someone out there that has a detailed knowledge about these things.....and post or small package delivery is something that the public could ask about at an event. Any more inputs on this??


Regards from a warm and pleasant Balkans, Arminius Primus, aka Al

[jvrjenivs]

Maybe this discussion should have more input. We have the Vindolandia tablets, some of which are on non military subjects, but I guess addressed to officials and their dependents. ...But wasn't there also a request to a family for socks and underwear?

Indeed in the Vindolanda tablets is asked for socks and underwear. We also have other letters from soldiers (hence a military man) who write home that the local footwear is pretty bad or that his dolabra has been taken by his officer and request his dad to send him new pieces. Also, we of course have several references of letters from pliny, and generals reporting to the central offices at Rome.

In later periods trusted merchants would take on the task of delivering letters and packages, did we also have that service during the empire? You could probably get a small package to any of the major port cities rather quickly, onward delivery from there may have been problematic.

The cursus publicus is, as far as I understand, an official service supported by the state and only for use by the soldiers. They could send letters by priority as they had roadstops where they could stay for the night, but also had smaller stops where they could change horses in between. Anyway, as someone does a request to send him new clothing or other items, there must be a way to send those packages. I can imagine different options you can have to send stuff, but don't know for sure which were available. Indeed an interesting subject!

The best thing about RAT is there is always someone out there that has a detailed knowledge about these things.....and post or small package delivery is something that the public could ask about at an event. Any more inputs on this??

Lets start with an internet search then. Searching for the cursus publicus on Bill Thayers website LacusCurtius shows us

Ammianus Marcellinus - Index of Officials (Loeb translation p578)

(cursus publicus), the state courier-service, consisting of relays of horses and vehicles at stations along the highways, for the use of those who were sent to the provinces on official business, or summoned to the court; see vehiculis publicis, XXI.13.7; the clavicularis cursus (XX.4.11, note) apparently refers to the use of clavulae, vehicles of some special sort, but the derivation and meaning of clavularis are uncertain.

Also, there is a wikipedia page about the cursus publicus, but unfortunately references are totally absent, so it's probably not the best place to start.
[url:4rwvn8a7]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursus_publicus[/url]

[Jona Lendering]

Did the Romans (1st century) have a postal service..?

The word for postman was "veredarius". This charming statuette of the Genius of the Numerus Veredariorum Nidensium is from Kapersburg: one Nationius from Reims dedicated it to the emperor's family. I think it's second century, but we learn that back then, the postmen were organized as a numerus, and although they were officially from one town (Nida, near Frankfurt), they could be recruited far away (in Reims).

[D B Campbell]

The word for postman was "veredarius".

But, in case anyone is imagining the benign image of their local bicycle-riding delivery man , the veredarii were (apparently) military messengers. Hyginus includes 800 of them -- Pannonii veredarii -- in his ideal Roman army (De mun. castr. 24), where they are assigned the task of protecting the troops who are clearing the road. Are they given this role because they are expected to relay status reports back to the general? (As with so many topics, we -- or, at least, I -- know very little about the veredarii.)

[Epictetus]

In some cases the richer families seem to have used their own private messengers. I would guess this was for shorter distances - all the examples I noticed seem to assume the letter will reach the recipient within one day. Some mentions of these private messengers are rather amusing.

It is now close on four o'clock and your messenger is muttering. So my letter must end.

Letter of Fronto to Marcus Aurelius, Ambr. 94

Another time they mention a poor soul who took a letter to Fronto in Rome only to find he had went to his summer villa. The messenger, evidently not knowing what else to do but to deliver the letter, followed him out into the country.

[Johnny Shumate]

Thanks for all the input!
Any type of images available? Maybe the wagon/cart used to carry the parcels..?
Thanks again,
Johnny

[D B Campbell]

Maybe the wagon/cart used to carry the parcels..?

Hmmm ... I don't think it's quite that organised, Johnny. Think Pony Express rather than Wells Fargo.

[Jona Lendering]

In some cases the richer families seem to have used their own private messengers. I would guess this was for shorter distances - all the examples I noticed seem to assume the letter will reach the recipient within one day.

I think I remember a letter by Cicero to Atticus, which can be summarized as follows: a messenger is going in your direction (i.e., from Tusculum to Athens), so I seize the opportunity to write, but I have nothing to mention, so this is about it. Of course he doesn't say anything, but we may infer that at that moment, messengers were rare and covered large distances.

[Arminius Primus]

Ave Fratres,

Everything always seems to have conmnections for me , when assigned to Germany , I lived on the banks of the Nidda not far from the Roman settlement of Nidda. The information posted gives me a whole new area to investigate, Maybe I can find out something about how the Veredarii operated in the Balkans.

Having a Veredarius about,... sure would make a good persona , as an individual outside of but connected to the military structure,...lots of room to comment on everything from politics to daily life in the empire. Thanks for all the great posts.

As a Numerus, any ideas about kit? Hamata, , Pouch for carrying mail , etc. ??

Regards from a very warm Balkans, Arminius Primus, aka Al