Hemerodromi

Hemerodromi (ἡμεροδρόμοι were couriers in the Greek states, who could keep on running all day, and were often employed to carry news of important events. As the Greeks had no system of posts, and but few roads, such messengers must have been of great service. They were trained for the purpose, and could perform the longest journeys in an almost incredibly short space of time. (Hdt. 6.105; Plat. Protag. 335 E; Corn. Nep. Milt. 4; Plut. Arist. 20; Paus. 6.16.5.) Such couriers appear to have been kept by most of the Greek states, and were in times of danger stationed on some eminence in order to observe anything of importance that might happen, and carry the intelligence with speed to the proper quarter. Hence we frequently find them called Hemeroscopi (ἡμεροσκόποι,, Hdt. 7.183, 192; Xen. Hell. 1.1, § 2; Aeneas Tact. 100.6). That the Hemeroscopi were the same as the Hemerodromi appears not only from the passage of Aeneas Tacticus just referred to, but also from the words of Livy (31.24): ni speculator (hemerodromos vocant Graeci, ingens die uno cursu emetientes spatium), contemplans regium agmen e specula quadam, praegressus nocte media Athenas pervenisset. The Hemerodromi were also called Dromokerykes (δρομοκήρυκες, Aeschin. de F. L. § 130; Harpocrat. and Hesych. sub voce).

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