Other than word of mouth, letter writing, or mail, has been a form of communication used for centuries. The term “mail” comes from the Medieval English word that describes a traveling bag, but mail itself is much older than Medieval times. In fact, mail has been used as far back as ancient times.
While historians can’t find definite proof about which country first adopted a postal system, historians can agree that it likely started in Mesopotamia. The early Assyrians and Babylonians are said to be among the first to use a system of letter delivery, but it was the Persian Empire that developed the system even further. By using a network of roads and outposts, Persian horsemen were able to transmit messages at great speed across vast distances, creating a postal route of sorts.
The system was later adopted by the Egyptians, with other ancient civilizations like China soon following. Across the ocean, the Inca and Maya civilizations used similar methods of road networks to transmit messages across their empires as well, proving that communication is an important part of any given culture.
In Europe, under the rule of Augustus Caesar, the Romans began what many call the first true mail service for government correspondence, eventually adding service for citizens. Following a similar model to the Persians, outposts, or the Latin word posta, were created as places for messengers to rest on their long journeys and recoup for the days of traveling ahead. As the Roman Empire expanded across most of Europe, so did its postal network. By the Middle Ages, most of Europe was connected by means of letter writing.
By the mid-1400s, the concept of sending messages was common, but not everyone had the privilege to send mail. Sadly, most Europeans were illiterate; reading was reserved for government officials, nobility, and religious leaders. It wasn’t until the invention of the printing press that the average person was able to gain access to education and learn to read. Once the literacy level began to spike, so did the desire to write letters. This led to a greater demand for an improved postal system worldwide. By the late 1400s, France had set up a Royal Postal Service, followed by England updating their postal service a few decades later.
But postal progress didn’t stop there! In 1837, British educator Sir Rowland Hill suggested using postage stamps as a way to keep the cost of mail low and charging by weight instead of by distance. His idea quickly gained support, and by 1840, the world’s first stamp made its entrance. Known as the Penny Black, this black stamp had Queen Victoria’s profile imprinted on it in white. Before long, countries all over the world began implementing Hill’s idea and using postage stamps. And while postal history is filled with lots of changes, some things remain the same. For instance, the world’s oldest functioning post office, which started in 1712, is open and operating in Sanquhar, Scotland!
Today, the study of philately is one enjoyed by people from all over the world because every country has its own distinct postal history. To study a country’s postal system is like studying a set of fingerprints— each one so incredibly unique that it would be impossible for two sets to be alike.