Connectivity and Communication in the Achaemenid Empire

Abstract The vast territorial extent of the Achaemenid Empire is often assumed to have impeded connectivity and communication within the empire. This paper challenges the validity of this assumption. Two factors in particular favor this conclusion—the presence of an extensive road network and the high communication speed in the empire, made possible by the pirradazish service. Together, they demonstrate the enormous potential for movement and interaction throughout the empire.

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