public transport

Facets of everyday Roman life, from food to travel to petkeeping. "How did the Romans...?" answered here!

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public transport

Postby Q. C. Locatus Barbatus on Thu Oct 24, 2002 7:33 pm

Salvete,



Were there things like 'public transport' in Rome? Taxis?


Valete,


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Postby Quintus Aurelius Orcus on Fri Oct 25, 2002 5:09 pm

Salve locate
I think they used chariots but more for every day use than for warfare. If there were taxis, than it was pulled by horses. Or mayby you could buy a horse if you were wealthy eough;
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Public Transport

Postby Aldus Marius on Mon Oct 28, 2002 12:20 am

Salvete amici,

Not chariots; covered litters, carried by slaves. Rich Romans had their own crews, some as finely-matched as any team of English carriage-horses. Romans of modest means could hire them or rent them at various places around town.

If you needed something carried besides yourself and your companion, you could hitch a ride on a cart or wagon; farmers were always bringing their goods into town and might not mind the extra "gas money". These vehicles were, however, always subject to the prohibition on wheeled transport within City limits during hours of daylight.

The "Roman going grocery-shopping in a chariot" is a Hollywood figment, though it did not begin there. It belongs with some of the "interesting", yet thoroughly erroneous notions of what Roman armor looked like.


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