d of 111 'relay' stations, as recounted below by Herodotus describing the road, the courier resting places and the horse exchange system as a marvel of its time. This relay system enabled the Royal Mail mounted couriers to travel the distance of 2700 km in 7 days. This was the fastest method of 'telecom- munications' for its time and was an important tool in the governance and security of the Empire [2] (Figure 1.1). Now the true account of the road in question is the following: Royal stations exist along its whole length, and excellent caravanserais; and throughout, it traverses an inhabited tract, and is free from danger. In Lydia and Phrygia there are twenty stations within a distance of 941/2 parasangs. On leaving Phrygia the Halys has to be crossed; and here are gates through which you must needs pass ere you can traverse the stream. A strong force guards this post. When you have made the passage, and are come into Cappadocia, 28 stations and 104 parasangs bring you to the borders of Cilicia, where the road passes through two sets of gates, at each of which there is a guard posted. Leaving these behind, you go on through Cilicia, where you find three stations in a distance of 151/2 parasangs. The boundary between Cilicia and Armenia is the river Euphrates, which it is necessary to cross in boats. In Armenia the resting-places are 15 in number, and the distance is 561/2 parasangs. There is one place where a guard is posted. Four large streams intersect this dis- trict, all of which have to be crossed by means of boats. The first of these is the Tigris; the second and the third have both of them the same name, though they are not only different rivers, but do not even run from the same place. For the one which I have called the first of the two has its source in Armenia, while the other flows afterwards out of the country of the Matienians. The fourth of A parasang is a measure of distance and equals approximately 6 km. Introduction Parthia Ecbatana SBagistana Sagartians Persepolis Persis The Persian Empire Pa