is
seated between the Euxine Sea, the chain of Mount Taurus, and the AEgean,
the crowded population, the activity of the Greek colonies, and the
necessity for direct communication with the interior and seat of
government, led to the construction of good and uniform highways. In the
Ionian Revolt large bodies of troops were readily brought to bear upon
the insurgents, and the preparations of Xerxes for his invasion of Greece
cannot have been made without a previous provision of military roads. An
exact scale of taxation was drawn up by Darius Hystaspes for all the
provinces of his vast empire; and as the system survived the extinction
of the royal house of Persia, and was adopted by the Macedonian
conquerors in all its more important details, it may be inferred that
such system worked with tolerable regularity and success. But as the
tithes and tolls of Persia were paid both in money and in kind, it is
obvious that the communication between the capital and satrapies of the
empire must have been well organized. Such organization implies the
existence of main roads radiating from Sousa and Ecbatana. Nor are we
left to conjecture only. The establishment of running posts and couriers
was a distinguishing feature of the Persian empire; and the speed at
which they journeyed from the sea-coast or the banks of the Hyphasis to
the seat of government proves that the roads were in good order and the
stations and relays of runners well ascertained. The Anabasis of
Cyrus--his "march up" the country--affords another proof. The narrative
of Xenophon, in its earlier portions at least, and so long as the ten
thousand Greeks kept to the main roads, resembles in the precision with
which it marks distances and stations a Roman Itinerary or a Bradshaw's
Guide. On this day, says the historical captain of mercenaries, we
marched seven parasangs and bivouacked in an empty fort; on such a day we
marched five parasangs and encamped in a pleasant park or 'paradise' of
the great king. It is only after the Greeks have been forced from the
'Road-down' by the clouds of Persian cavalry, that they enter upon more
rugged and devious mountain-paths. The account of Xenophon is confirmed
by Arrian in his history of Alexander's Anabasis; and so long as the
Macedonian conqueror was within the bounds of Persia proper, we rarely
meet with any impediments to his progress arising out of the badness of
the roads.

We have made some mention of the more c