Cursus Publicus

  • The Cursus Publicus, also known as the Cursus Vehiculorum, was the Postal Service of the Roman Empire.
  • It transported mail, officials and tax revenues between Rome and the Provinces.

Description

  • The Cursus Publicus provided an infrastructure of wayside inns along all the Roman Roads.
    • Mutationes (way stations) and Mansiones (Hotels) were provided by the Province the road passed through. They supplied the following services:
      • Accommodation.
      • Repair facilities.
      • Horses, mules, donkeys and oxen.
      • Vehicles called ‘Clabulae’.
      • But not Drivers or Couriers. These had to be paid for by the mail sender or travelling Civil Servant.
  • After 300 CE the service was divided into:
    • Cursus Velox (fast)
      • They used saddle horses and pack horses.
    • Cursus Clabularis (ordinary)
      • They used only oxen.
  • Prefectus Vehiculorum
    • This was one of the Five Prefects of Rome.
    • Created by Hadrian, the Prefect was in charge of a centralised administration, the cost of which had been transferred to the Fiscus under Nerva (96-98 CE).

Sources

  • Procopious
    • Procopius was a Historian in the 6th century CE under Justinian I.
    • He describes the Cursus Publicus as still in working order in the Eastern Empire, but it was being dismantled by Justinian I.
      • Per day: Using relays of horses, a courier would travel a minimum of 5-8 stages (ie 8 mansions)
      • Each Road Station kept 40 horses and their grooms.
      • Mansiones (Hotels) seem to have been an average of 25 miles (40km) apart.
      • Mutationes (way stations) seem to have averaged two between Mansiones, so 8 miles (13km) apart.
      • A normal journey of 5 to 8 stages would average 40-60 miles (64-96km) a day. Nonstop express would be 100 miles (160km) a day.

Road Maps

  • The Romans had maps which showed the roads with the way stations and hotels marked along long thin ribbons of parchment.
  • Peutinger Table
    • A 13th century CE copy of a 4th century CE copy of the original map created by Augustus.
    • It is a Michelin style pictorial road map of the Empire.
  • Antonine Itinerary
    • The Antonine Itinerary was a 4th century CE Road Map of the Roman Empire.
  • Vicarello Cups
    • These were metal drinking vessels with the names of way stations inscribed sequentially along the outside.

 

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