Angaria (Latin; Greek: ἀγγαρεία, angareía) was a sort of postal system adopted by the Roman imperial government from the ancient Persians. According to Xenophon,[1] the Persian system was established by Cyrus the Great. Couriers on horseback were posted at certain stages along the chief roads of the empire, for the transmission of royal dispatches by night and day in all weather.[2]
The Roman system took its name from the Greek form of a Babylonian word adopted in Persian for these mounted couriers. In the Roman system, the supply of horses and their maintenance was a compulsory duty from which the emperor alone could grant exemption.[2]
The term was also used from the 4th century for the heavy transport vehicles of the cursus publicus and the draft animals which pulled them. It came to mean any compulsory service (cf. levy) or oppression in both medieval Latin and Byzantine Greek.[2] In modern Greek, it means any service or task only grudgingly undertaken by the one forced to perform it.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Angaria", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 2 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 4.
angaria, roman, angaria, latin, greek, ἀγγαρεία, angareía, sort, postal, system, adopted, roman, imperial, government, from, ancient, persians, according, xenophon, persian, system, established, cyrus, great, couriers, horseback, were, posted, certain, stages,. Angaria Latin Greek ἀggareia angareia was a sort of postal system adopted by the Roman imperial government from the ancient Persians According to Xenophon 1 the Persian system was established by Cyrus the Great Couriers on horseback were posted at certain stages along the chief roads of the empire for the transmission of royal dispatches by night and day in all weather 2 The Roman system took its name from the Greek form of a Babylonian word adopted in Persian for these mounted couriers In the Roman system the supply of horses and their maintenance was a compulsory duty from which the emperor alone could grant exemption 2 The term was also used from the 4th century for the heavy transport vehicles of the cursus publicus and the draft animals which pulled them It came to mean any compulsory service cf levy or oppression in both medieval Latin and Byzantine Greek 2 In modern Greek it means any service or task only grudgingly undertaken by the one forced to perform it Contents 1 See also 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksSee also EditAngary Royal Road AngarumNotes Edit Chisholm 1911 p 4 cites Cyrop VIII 6 Cf Herodotus VIII 98 a b c Chisholm 1911 p 4 References Edit This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Angaria Encyclopaedia Britannica vol 2 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 4 External links Edit Angaria Encyclopaedia Britannica vol 2 9th ed 1878 p 26 LEXThis article about Roman law is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Angaria Roman law amp oldid 1065785175, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
