In the ancient world, countries and empires strove to maintain lines of communication over land and across bodies of waters such as rivers and seas. Egypt depended predominantly on the Nile, but, like other kingdoms, also built reliable roads. Vital for trading caravans and troop movements, these roads allowed the fast dissemination of information as well. In times of threat, these nations needed to improvise fast and reliable routes so they could transmit messages to all areas under their control. This was the beginning of the ancient postal system. As time went on, the systems expanded to allow lines of communication with neighbouring countries for commerce, diplomacy, and war.
In the early postal network, a scribe was needed to write messages in a language that the recipient would understand. Sometimes, multilingual scribes were needed for communications in different languages. From such messages that survive, written on papyrus and clay tablets, we can gain a great deal of information about the prices of goods, marriage customs, regional demographics, and sometimes diplomacy and historical events.
Usually, the early postal services were state-run bureaucracies set up for high-ranking governmental officials. In time, temples, large mercantile traders, and other wealthy people were also able to use these mailing exchange arrangements. Temples usually had a fairly large number of scribes present, and amassed vast riches through trade. For those with fewer resources, messages could be sent by means of servants or slaves, or by trusted travellers journeying in the right direction. Sometimes, governmental report-carriers could deliver these messages to earn an extra fee.
