Pliny the Younger, who lived from 62-114, sent an apologetic letter to the emperor Trajan.
Pliny apologized to Trajan is as follows:
“Up to now, my Lord, I have only issued permits for people and letters to use the imperial post on your business. I have broken my own rules because of an emergency. My wife heard that her grandfather had died and was so upset that she wanted to rush off and visit her aunt, and I found it very hard to refuse to give her a permit to travel by the imperial post, as it is the quickest way .... I relied on your kindness and acted as though I had already received the favor even though I had not yet asked you for it. I did not wait until I had asked you because if I had waited, it would have been too late.”
The Roman empired was world famous for superlatively engineered roads that criss-crossed the empire, straight and flat. Over these roads horse-drawn mail carts traveled at a minimum of 50 miles a day from city to city collecting and delivering mail.
A system of relay teams expedited the delivery of emergency mail or urgent messages for a coverage of up to 170 miles a day.
Who established the first official postal service? Augustus Caesar (27 B.C. to A.D. 14) employing a myriad of military officials and local governors.
Naturally, government officials had better, faster and more reliable mail delivery than the common people; the "cursus publicus" or fast course private system of courier consisting of servants and merchants.
In addition to almost fifty thousand miles of roads, relay stations and tight schedules of delivery, a network of station masters, accountants
and horse grooms were provided for the mail carriers.
A fast course was divided into two branches to expedite communication throughout the empire. Oxen were used to transport heavy loads. Service was often allowed to be used for personal reasons. (Such as Pliny explained to emperor Trajan.)
