The life of a courier requires a lot of driving to deliver large shipments and smaller parcels and letters around the country. Modern technology such as state-of-the-art vans and high-quality roads allow this process to be completed with great speed - it is possible to cross in less than 24 hours, the United Kingdom from south to north, although a pair would require couriers taking shifts. Today's couriers will be surprised to know that thousands of years ago, the ancient Persians had some similar ideas about efficient deliveries.
Antique Communications
The Persian Empire (c. 550-330 BCE) was great from the old standards of the Turkish Aegean in the west to India beginning reached in the East, at its height. The king ruled over all; although he entrusted to the local government to his satraps, he wanted to get to know all the important news in a timely manner, especially when it comes to invasions, epidemics and so on. Old couriers required to cross the kingdom as soon as possible with this message.
But the journey through the kingdom of Sardis to Susa and on, took up to 90 days on foot. A traveling courier was too slow for essential communications. Mounted couriers were faster, but still limitations such as the need to rest her horse and the dangerous terrain which forced the horse, almost as slow as a human being for fear of crippling injuries go.
The Royal
King Darius I. solution was to build a 1,500-mile long road - the Royal Road - the crisscrossed the kingdom, and along 111 feeding stations set up there , Each station kept fresh horses for couriers to be amended to ensure that they could ride as soon as possible. The journey through the kingdom now took only 7 days.
The extent of this success has been recognized by contemporary authors. Famous ancient Greek writer Herodotus wrote that "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness of night, these couriers prevents the appropriate steps with the utmost speed Statements" in his stories. The Romans, the parts of the Persian penetrated into later centuries continued his use of
The directions
Herodotus writings - along with the archaeological research and other historical records - also furnished us so that we now follow the directions Royal Road this old couriers over the old empire. The Royal Road began in Sardis, over 60 miles east of the present Azmir in Aegean Turkey. From there, it went east through the middle northern section of Turkey and the Cilician Gates to Nineveh (Mosul today in Iraq), former capital of Assyria. It then turned south to Babylon (near modern Baghdad, Iraq), where they shared. The first way was then known northeast east through Ecbatana and along what was later called the Silk Road. The second went east to Susa (in present-day Iran), future Persian capital and southeast one of the most famous cities in Persia, Persepolis.
An Assyrian road
While King Darius I of Persia ordered the development of the Royal Road to full length, so it seems likely that he is the first ancient ruler was not a quality road connecting important parts of his empire to envisage. The ancient Assyrian empire, which from as far back as the 20th century BCE to about a hundred years before Cyrus the Great forged Persia, had probably existed a hand in the construction of a part of the Royal Road in many phases. Its route through Nineveh and Babylon, ancient important centers of the kingdom and not the direct route over Darius' kingdom, is strong evidence for the Assyrians preparing infrastructure for old couriers even earlier in the history, and easy to extend the Persians therefrom.
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