How did Roman Soldiers get their mail to their families?

Question

Google " Roman letters on wood in Vindolanda" letters from Britain to Rome by a Roman Soldier telling of the cold and asking for blankets if you care to take a look.

Answer 1

Were the Vindolanda tablets from Britain to Rome?

It seems to me that most were sent to/received from friends in other Roman military units (some local), the soldiers based in Vindolanda and presumably writing them were Germanic, so their families would have been in Germania not Rome, apart from relying on traders to pass on messages, they might have used time-served veterans returning home to carry notes.

Answer 2

I'd guess messengers among them would carry letters together with the official dispatches, travelling by horse relays (2000 years before the Pony Express).

Answer 3

Good question - we know that they sent mail, the digs on Hadrian's Wall have disclosed that.  I would wager that soldiers acted as couriers, but I haven't seen anything in particular to support that.

Answer 4

There was an Imperial post but it was for the Government.

If you wanted to send your own letters, you'd have to find a messenger or a one-shot piece of transport.

Important Romans could bribe the officials to slip their letters in the Imperial Post.