Travel in classical antiquity over long distances was a specialised undertaking. Most travel was done in the interest of warfare, diplomacy, general state building, or trade. Social motivations for travel included visiting religious sites, festivals such as the Olympics, and health-related reasons. Most travel was difficult and expensive, due to the danger of violence, the scarcity of well-maintained roads, and the variability of travel times on water, as ancient ships were subject to the vagaries of both the wind and the tides. Much of ancient literature is concerned with travel. The Odyssey, for example, relates the tale of Odysseus’ travel home to Ithaca over a ten-year period; later, the Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas' flight from Troy. Elsewhere, travel narratives from authors such as Herodotus and Caesar form more grounded examples of how individuals moved throughout the ancient world. Both Greek and Roman society had mores surrounding travel and the treatment of guests. Historical context The first instances of long-distance travel in the broader Mediterranean world occurred in what are today Egypt and Iraq. In Egypt, the Nile served as a conduit for trade and transportation. In the Near East, river travel on the Tigris and Euphrates was supplemented by long-distance travel over land in wagon-like vehicles pulled by oxen. Later, the chariot developed. Originally reserved for royalty, chariots later became important in warfare. In the Near East, large but not particularly sophisticated systems of roads evolved. Later these systems would be connected and redeveloped by the Persians. The primary motivation for the development of travel and infrastructure to support it in both Egypt and the Near East was conquest and subsequent rule, a trend that continued in Greece and Rome. There is evidence, however, of travel motivated by tourism in Egypt, with visitors and scribes coming to view and record the pyramids and other religious monuments. Maritime and river travel The earliest maritime travel occurred on the Nile and other rivers in the Near East. Due to the lack of roads in ancient Greece, the most efficient way of shipping large amounts of goods, such as olive oil, was over the sea. Greek ships were built in varying sizes, with the largest accommodating as much as 500 tons of goods. Despite reliance on favourable weather, relatively little effort went into short sea voyages beyond the packing and management of the ship, although there was the danger of pirates