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2400 BCE
Egyptian Couriers
Pharaohs used Couriers to disseminate their decrees in ancient Egypt -
Period: 2400 BCE to
Mail
A timeline about mail systems -
550 BCE
Achaemenid Postal System
The first credible semi-modern post system comes from the Achaemenid Empire. Xenophon claims that the Achaemenid King of Kings mandated the construction of postal infrastructure in every satrapy of his empire. He also negotiated with nearby countries to do the same, building roads all the way to modern Burma -
20 BCE
Cursus Publicus
The Cursus publicus was the state maintained postal system of the Roman Empire. It was organized in a similar fashion to the Achaemenid system, but the couriers made the whole trip themselves. This allowed the Recipient to orally interrogate the courier for more information. -
1230
Mongol Post system
The Mongol post system was unprecedented in it's scale and efficiency. It was a relay system. Messengers could move 200 to 300 kilometers in a single day, across multiple continents. -
Rail Post
The First usage of a train to transport post was in November 1830, on the Manchester and Liverpool railway -
Penny Black
The Penny Black was the World's First Postage Stamp -
Modern Registered Mail
Also uses a form of receipt, which also doubles as a seal.
A sheet of green paper was wrapped around the envelope/item. -
Airmail
The first official airmail flight occurred on 18/2/1911. 6,500 letters were flown 13 km. -
First Email
The creatively named SNDSMG program marks the first known use of a modern networked email program -
MCI mail
MCI mail was the first commercial networked email service. -
Gmail
Even if you are living under a rock, you will know about gmail. Everybody and their dog uses it