Isai. v. 26. xi. 10. 12. Isai. viii. 3. Isai. xiii. 2. Isa. xxx. 17. Diod. ficul. l. 19. p. 680, seu 666.POSTS. This Name is given to Messengers or regulated Couriers, appointed to carry with Expedition the Dispatches of Princes, or the Letters of private Persons in general. Lewis Horninck has written a very accurate Treatise, concerning the Original of Posts. He makes four Kinds of ‘em, those that go on Horse-back, by Water, in a Chariot or Chaise, or those that travel on Foot. We may also refer to the Article of Posts, the Manner of conveying Intelligence by Beacons, or Signals, which are set up at several Distances on the Tops of Mountains. This latter Method we may observe to have been made use of in Scripture. Isaiah says, That the Lord shall set up a Signal among the Nations, to gather together the scatter’d Children of Israel, and to bring them back into their own Country, from the four Corners of the Earth. Elsewhere he says, That Signals shall be set up to assemble the Troops that were to compose the Army of Darius the Mede. And again, All ye Inhabitants of the World, and Dwellers on the Earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an Ensign on the Mountains, and when he bloweth a Trumpet, hear ye. These Signals were set up on the Tops of very high Trees or Masts. Till ye be left as a Beacon [or Mast] upon the Top of a Mountain, and as an Ensign on an Hill. See Isaiah xxxiii. 23. xlix. 22. lxii. 10. Jerem. iv. 6. i. 2. li. 12, 27. ‘Tis thought that the Use of Posts is derived from the Persians. Diodorus Siculus observes, That the Kings of Persia, that they might have Intelligence of what pass’d through all the Provinces of their vast Dominions, placed Centinels at Eminences, at convenient Distances, where Towers were built. These Centinels gave notice of publick Occurrences from one to another, with a very loud and shrill Voice, by which News was transmitted from one Extremity of the Kingdom to another with great Expedition.
But as this could not be practised except in the Case of general News, which it was expedient that the whole Nation should be Xenoph. Cyropæd. l. 8. c. 232.acquainted with; Cyrus, as Xenophon relates, set up Couriers and Places for Posthorses, building on purpose on all the high Roads, Places for the Reception of the Couriers, where they were to deliver their Pacquets to the next, and so on. This they did Night and Day, so that no Rain or bad Weather was to stop them; and, in the Judgment of many, they went faster than Cranes could fly. This is what Xenophon Herodot. l. 8. c. 98.says.Herodotus owns, That nothing swifter was known, for a Journey by Land. Xerxes, in his famous Expedition against Greece, planted Posts from the Egean Sea to Shushan, or Susa, to send Notice thither of what might happen to his Army: He placed these Messengers from Station to Station, to convey his Pacquets, at such Distances from each other as an Horse might easily travel.
We see Couriers or Posts plainly described Esth. iii. 13.in the Book of Esther: It is there said, That Abasuerus, otherwise Darius, Son of Hystaspes King of Persia, sent Expresses to all the Nobles of his Kingdom, to give them Orders to put to Death all the Jews in their respective Provinces: Missæ sunt per Cursores Regis ad universas Provincias. And when these first Orders were to be revoked, Dispatches were sent Esth. viii. 10.by the Couriers; Missæ per Veredarios qui per omnes Provincias discurrerent.
The Orientals impute to Darius King of D’Herbel. Bibliot. Orient. p. 287. col. 1.Persia, Cotemporary with Philip King of Macedon, the Invention of Posts through all the Provinces of his Kingdom, that he might easily know every thing that passed Plutarch. lib. de Fortun. Alex.therein. Darius Codomannus, who was conquered by Alexander the Great, was a Courier of the King, before he obtain’d the Regal Power.
The Greeks borrow’d the Use of Posts from the Persians, and, in Imitation of Matth. v. 41.them, called them Angari. Jesus Christ, in his Gospel, alludes to these Angares, or Posts, when he says, If any one compels you to go a Mile with him, do not refuse to go two Miles; Si quis te angariaverit milliarium, vade & duo: Because the Cities were compell’d to provide Horses, or Couriers, for the publick Posts.
Among the Romans, it was Augustus that first set up publick and regular Posts. They were at first young Men, active and nimble, who run from Post to Post, and delivered Pacquets from Hand to Hand. Afterwards they were changed into Post-Chariots and Horses, for the greater Expedition: Sueton. in August.Juvenes primò modicis intervallis, deinde vehicula dispositit. Adrian regulated the Posts with more Regularity than before, and discharg’d the People of the Obligation they were under before, of furnishing Horses and Carriages.
Procopius assures us, that the Emperors appointed Posts upon the great Roads, to be ready at Hand, and that they might be speedily inform’d of whatever pass’d in the Empire: There were not fewer than five Posts a-Day, and sometimes eight: They kept forty Horses at each Post, and as many Post-men and Riders as were necessary. Justinian dismiss’d the Posts at several Places, and particularly those that went from Calcedon to Diacibiza, which is the ancient Lybissa, famous for Hannibal’s Tomb, lying in the Gulph of Nicomedia. The same Author tells us, that Justinian set up Ass-Posts in several Places of the Levant.
The Use of Posts having declined with the Empire, Charlemaign made many Attempts, about the Year 807, to restore them again: But his Undertaking was not prosecuted by his Successors. Lewis XI.1 is thought to have set up the Common Posts at every two Leagues Distance, throughout the Kingdom of France. Count Taxis first set them up in Germany at his own Expence: And, as a Recompence, the Emperor Matthias, in 1616, gave him, in Fee, the Office of Post-Master General, to himself and his Successors, for ever.2
As high as the Ninth Century there were Publick Couriers set up in several Places of the Ottoman Empire:3 Some went on Foot, and others on Horse-back, and carry’d Dispatches from the Emperor with wonderful Diligence. There are some also among the Chinese; but they are appointed only to carry Orders from the King, and the Governors of Provinces, and, in a Word, for Publick Affairs, and those of the greatest Consequence.
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