Chapar Khaneh

Chapar Khaneh (Persian: چاپارخانه, IPA: [tʃɒːˈpɒːɾ xɒːˈne], transl. 'courier-house') is the Persian-language term that refers to the postal service system used throughout the Achaemenid Empire. It was also called the Angarum or, in Latin, the Angarium.

It was created by Cyrus the Great and later developed by Darius the Great as the royal method of communication throughout the empire. Each Chapar Khaneh was a station mainly located along the Royal Road, an ancient highway that was reorganized and rebuilt by Darius I, which stretched from Sardis in modern-day Turkey to Susa in modern-day Iran, connecting most of the major cities of the Achaemenid Empire.

The messengers, called Chapars in Persian or angaros (ἄγγαρος) in Greek, alternated in stations a day's ride apart along the Royal Road. The riders were exclusively in the service of the Great King and the network allowed for messages to be transported from Susa to Sardis (2699 km) in nine days; the journey took ninety days on foot. The Chapars were express couriers who were provided with fresh supplies and horses at each station along the way, allowing them to quickly complete their way without having to procure supplies on their own or wait for their horse to rest.