Darius built a road system to criss-cross the Persian Empire. His roads made it possible to send messages back and forth at unheard-of speed. There were changing stations along the way so his messengers could get a fresh horse and a meal. Persian royal mounted messengers became the primo reliable mail service. The Greek historian Herodotus’ description of their dependability became the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service in our time—“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
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John Manders' Blog 
Huh. Fascinating; didn’t know that about ancient Persia! What fun not to have to exclusively associate cowboy types with mail delivery!
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The Pony Express lasted a mere year and a half. Darius’ roads evolved into the Silk Road to China.
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I, for one, wonder whether this ‘national’ or even’imperial’ system wasn’t built-up from an even older TRIBAL one. I am very intrigued, since I am aware that the horse was domesticate probably 2500 years earlier. I would suggest that there may have been an era of mounted courier ‘bards’, who remembered and told ‘stories’, well before writing came into use!
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Yes, that would be interesting to look into! That makes sense, doesn’t it? After all, those Persian roads eventually became part of the Silk Route. Tell me if you discover anything!
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