Travel & Commerce Flashcards
For knowledge of the travels of Romans, what kind of sources do we have to rely on?
Indirect sources.
Why did Romans not like to travel for pleasure? (3)
Due to their lack of enjoyment of the wild, romantic scenery, and their feeling that to be out of Rome was to be forgotten.
What were the three main reasons a Roman might leave Italy?
For urgent private matters, or public duties, or for a once in a lifetime journey of distant lands.
How often on average did letters from Cicero in Rome travel to Caesar abroad?
At least once a month.
When travelling by water, what two boats did Romans most commonly use?
Sailing vessels, and occasionally canal boats.
What were some inconveniences of travelling by water? (6)
There were few transportation companies, chartering a ship was an expense few could afford or wait around for, the boats were small and uncomfortable, the lack of a compass forced sailors to follow the coast, and bad weather could postpone a voyage.
Rather than sail to Athens from Ostia or Naples, what would one do?
Go by land to Brundisium, by sea across to Dyrrhachium, and continue one’s journey by land.
How long would the voyage from Brundisium to Dyrrhachium take?
The voyage of 100 miles usually took 24 hours or less.
Where can an account of an ancient voyage be found?
In Acts 27-28, St. Paul describes a voyage from Caesarea to Rome as a prisoner of state.
Why was horseback riding not a recognized mode of travel?
The Romans had no saddles, which made riding difficult.
When travelling short distances, what was used?
Sedans, chairs or litters carried by slaves.
When travelling long distances, what was used?
Vehicles drawn by horses or mules.
What would travellers going long distances do to save the trouble of loading and unloading baggage?
Travellers would take their own vehicles and hire fresh horses from time to time.
Who used post routes with changes of horses at regular stages? (2)
Couriers and government officials, especially in the provinces.
Through many years of the Republic and for at least two centuries after, when were the streets closed to all vehicles?
From sunrise until the middle of the afternoon.
What four classes of vehicles were allowed on the streets of Rome anytime of the day, and what were their uses?
Market wagons (brought produce into city at night and left empty the next morning), Trucks carrying material for public buildings, Carriages used by the Vestals, flamines (priests of special gods), and rex sacrorum (high priest) in their religious functions, And chariots driven in triumphal or circus processions.
In imperial times, what did restrictions on vehicles in city streets bring about?
The general use of litters in the city.
When were litters used for transportation?
They were used for short journeys, and two mules were put in between the shafts.
When did litters carried by mules begin to be used?
Late in the Empire.
What is a basterna?
A litter carried by two mules
Which carriages were kept almost entirely for the use as state vehicles in procession? (2)
The pilentum and the carpentum.
What is the difference between the pilentum and the carpentum?
The pilentum had two wheels and the carpentum had four.
What were some similarities between the pilentum and the carpentum? (3)
They were both covered and drawn by two horses, and both were used by Vestals and priests.
According to Livy, who came from Etruria to Rome in a carpentum?
The first Tarquin.
Which carriage was mostly used as a mark of luxury?
The carpentum.
What carriage is only used in triumphal processions, more specifically for spoils of war?
The petoritum
What was a petroritum?
A baggage wagon, occupied by travellers servants to carry spoils of war.
What was a carruca? What did it look like?
A luxurious travelling coach, first used during the late Empire, furnished with a bed.
What were the two most common travelling vehicles?
Raedae and cisia.
What was a raedae?
A large, heavy covered wagon, with four wheels, drawn by two or four horses.
Who used a raedae? (2)
Regularly used by family groups and other travellers with baggage.
For a rapid journey when a man travelled alone with little baggage, what was the preferred carriage?
Cisia
What was a cisia?
A light cart, drawn by two to three horses, two wheels and a seat broad enough for a passenger ha and driver
According to Caesar, how fast could a cisia travel?
About fifty-sixty miles in ten hours, probably with one or more changes of horses.
