Europa - Ancient Postal Routes

The postage stamp “Europe 2020" is published under the auspices of PostEurope and has one common theme for all members every year - for 2020 the theme is "Ancient Postal Routes". Roman legions were linked to Rome by roads on which the first postal service was carried out. The Roman Messenger Service, initially called vehiculatio later cursus publicus, was founded by Emperor Augustus between 27 and 20 BC. It was initially limited to civilian and military civil servants. Ordinary stations (mansiones) were situated at the main road directions, where passengers could spend the night, as well as stations where horses or other cattle (mutationes) could be substituted. During Emperor Septimius Severus (192 - 211) the cursus publicus was divided into two parts: the fast (cursus velox), which had saddled horses, draft horses, mules and hinnies, and several types of carriages - two or four-wheelers, and the slow (cursus claburalis), which used heavy wagons which could transport up to 500 kg of cargo.

A wagon and a silver coin of the Roman consul L. Saufeius (152 BC) were chosen as motives on the stamps. On the reverse the coin shows Victoria driving a biga, and on the obverse the head of goddess Roma. The coin is located in the Franciscan museum of the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Humac, an area through which the very significant military road Salona (Solin) – Bigeste (Ljubuški) – Narona (Vid) has passed since the first century.

(Željka Šaravanja)