The public road system of the Romans was thoroughly military in its aims and spirit. It was only a short step from lists to a master list, or a schematic route-planner in which roads and their branches were represented more or less in parallel, as in the . From this master list, parts could be copied and sold on the streets. The most thorough used different symbols for cities, way stations, water courses, and so on. The Roman government from time to time would produce a master road itinerary. The first known were commissioned in 44 BC by
Julius Caesar and
Mark Antony. Three Greek geographers,
Zenodoxus,
Theodotus and
Polyclitus, were hired to survey the system and compile a master itinerary; the task required over 25 years, and the resulting stone-engraved master itinerary was set up near the
Pantheon. Travelers and itinerary sellers could make copies from it.
Vehicles and transportation Outside the cities, Romans were avid riders and rode on or drove quite a number of vehicle types, some of which are mentioned here.
Carts driven by oxen were used. Horse-drawn carts could travel up to per day, while pedestrians traveled per day. For purposes of description, Roman vehicles can be divided into the car, the coach, and the cart. Cars were used to transport one or two individuals, coaches were used to transport parties, and carts to transport cargo. Of the cars, the most popular was the
carrus, a standard
chariot form descending to the Romans from a greater antiquity. The top was open, the front closed. One survives in the Vatican. It carried a driver and a passenger. A
carrus with two horses was a
biga; three horses, a
triga; and four horses a
quadriga. The tires were of iron. When not in use, its wheels were removed for easier storage. A more luxurious version, the
carpentum, transported women and officials. It had an arched overhead covering of cloth and was drawn by mules. A lighter version, the
cisium, equivalent to a
gig, was open above and in front and had a seat. Drawn by one or two mules or horses, it was used for cab work, the cab drivers being called
cisiani. The builder was a
cisarius. Of the coaches, the mainstay was the
raeda or
reda, which had four wheels. The high sides formed a sort of box in which seats were placed, with a notch on each side for entry. It carried several people with baggage up to the legal limit of 1,000 Roman
librae (pounds), modern equivalent . It was drawn by teams of oxen, horses or mules. A cloth top could be put on for weather, in which case it resembled a covered wagon. The
raeda was probably the main vehicle for travel on the roads.
Raedae meritoriae were hired coaches. The
fiscalis raeda was a government coach. The driver and the builder were both referred to as a
raedarius. Of the carts, the main one was the
plaustrum or
plostrum. This was simply a platform of boards attached to wheels and a cross-tree. The wheels, or
tympana, were solid and were several centimetres (inches) thick. The sides could be built up with boards or rails. A large wicker basket was sometimes placed on it. A two-wheel version existed along with the normal four-wheel type called the
plaustrum maius. The military used a standard wagon. Their transportation service was the
cursus clabularis, after the standard wagon, called a
carrus clabularius,
clabularis,
clavularis, or
clabulare. It transported the
impedimenta (baggage) of a military column.
Way stations and traveler inns '' at
Letocetum, Wall, Staffordshire, England For non-military officials and people on official business who had no legion at their service, the government maintained way stations, or
mansiones ("staying places"), for their use.
Passports were required for identification.
Mansiones were located about apart. There the official traveller found a complete
villa dedicated to his use. Often a permanent military camp or a town grew up around the
mansio. For non-official travelers in need of refreshment, a private system of "inns" or
cauponae were placed near the
mansiones. They performed the same functions but were somewhat disreputable, as they were frequented by thieves and prostitutes. Graffiti decorate the walls of the few whose ruins have been found. Genteel travelers needed something better than
cauponae. In the early days of the
viae, when little unofficial provision existed, houses placed near the road were required by law to offer hospitality on demand. Frequented houses no doubt became the first
tabernae, which were
hostels, rather than the "taverns" we know today. As Rome grew, so did its
tabernae, becoming more luxurious and acquiring good or bad reputations as the case might be. An example is the
Tabernae Caediciae at
Sinuessa on the Via Appia. It had a large storage room containing barrels of wine, cheese and ham. Many cities of today grew up around a
taberna complex, such as
Rheinzabern in the Rhineland, and
Saverne in
Alsace. A third system of way stations serviced vehicles and animals: the
mutationes ("changing stations"). They were located every . In these complexes, the driver could purchase the services of wheelwrights, cartwrights, and
equarii medici, or veterinarians. Using these stations as chariot relays, Tiberius hastened in 24 hours to join his brother,
Drusus Germanicus, who was dying of gangrene as a result of a fall from a horse.
Post offices and services Two postal services were available under the empire, one public and one private. The
cursus publicus, founded by Augustus, carried the mail of officials by relay throughout the Roman road system. The vehicle for carrying mail was a
cisium with a box, but for special delivery a horse and rider was faster. On average a relay of horses could carry a letter in a day. The postman wore a characteristic leather hat, the
petanus. The postal service was a somewhat dangerous occupation, as postmen were a target for bandits and enemies of Rome. Private mail of the well-to-do was carried by
tabellarii, an organization of slaves available for a price. ==Locations==