The Roman Empire’s Postal System

Augustus established the Cursus Publicus, the Roman public postal system, for official correspondence, utilizing the extensive network of Roman roads. Messengers wore distinctive leather postal hats, and chariots were equipped with boxes for carrying mail. In urgent cases, relay horses could deliver letters up to 800 kilometers in a single day. The development of Roman roads also spurred the rise of private postal services. For instance, Tabellarii operated a mail delivery business that employed slaves as messengers. Most ordinary citizens relied on travelers to carry their letters.

Sending letters back then was significantly more challenging than today; messengers had to undertake long journeys, and shorter letters were easier to transport. More than 14,000 letters from that period have been unearthed, typically averaging around 200 words. In contrast, Paul’s epistles were remarkably long, averaging over 1,300 words, with the book of Romans exceeding 7,000 words, possibly making it the longest letter of its time.