The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-05-22
Ancient Postal Connections.

In our modern speed of railroad travel
and the consequent facilities in the
transmission of mail matter all over the
whole civilized world, it is we'll enough
to look back to the time when letter
writing was luxury indulged in only by
few, and communication between
friends at distance well-nigh an impos-
sibility. In it's first application the
word post was applied to courier or
carrier of messages. The use of posts,
some writer's say, originated with the
Persians. Their kings, in order to have
intelligence of what was passing through
ill the provinces of their vast domin.
ions, placed sentinels on eminences at
convenient distances, where towers were
built. These sentinels gave notice OF
public occurrences from one to another
with very loud and shrill voice, by
which news was transmitted from one
extremity of the kingdom to another
with great expedition. But as this could
not be practiced except in the case of
general news, which it was e1pedient
that the whole nation should be ac-
uuainted with, Cyrus appointed couriers,
and places for post horses and houses
on all the high-roads, for the reception
of the couriers, where they were to de-
liver their packets to the next, and 80
on. This they did night and day,
stopped by no inclemency OF weather.
and they are represented to have moved
with astonishing speed. Xer1es, in his
famous expedition against Greece,
planted posts from tne Egean Sea to
Shushan, or Susa, to send notice thither
of what might happen to his array; he
placed also messengers from station to
station, to convey his packets, at such
distances from each other as q horse
might easily travel. The regularity and
swiftness of the Roman posts were like
wise admirable. Gibbon observes !:
"The advantage of receiving the earli-
est intelligence, and Of conveying their
orders with celerity, induced the emper-
ors to establish throughout their extern
sive dominions the regular institution OF
posts. Houses were every where erected
at the distance only of five or six miles;
each of them was constantly provided
with forty horses; and by the help of
these relays it was easy to travel hun
dred miles day along the Roman roads"
In the time Of Theodosius, Cesarius, a
magistrate of high rank, went by post
from Antioch to Constantinople. he
began his journey at night, was in Cap
padocia Zone hundred and sixty-five
miles from Antioch) the ensuing eve
ming, and arrived at Constantinople the
sixth day about noon. The whole dis
tance was seven hundred and twenty
five Roman, or six hundred and sixty
Eve English, miles. This service seems
to have been very la1ly performed till
the time of Traian, previous to whose
reign the Roman messengers were In the
habit of seizing for the public service
any horses that came in their way. Some
regularity was observed from this time
forward, as in the Theodosian code men
ton is made of post-horses, and orders
given for their regulation. Throughout
all this period posts were only used on
special occasions. Letters from private
persons were conveyed by private
hands, and we're confined for the most
part to business of sufficient urgency.
Yet to Judge the correspondence OF
ancient times from the immense number
of Egyptian, Babylonian, and Persian
seals still in existence, it must have
been considerable. Posts disappeared
from Europe with the breaking up Of
the Roman Empire. The modern postal
establishment is said to have originated
with King Louis XI., of France, abont
the middle of the fifteenth century.