Nigeria, Nov. 19 -- History has shown, time and again, that empires rise and fall. The Roman Empire, one of the most powerful the world has ever known, once ran its affairs through the "cursus publicus", a state-run courier service that carried official messages, documents, and goods across vast territories. At its peak, that system was the lifeblood of Rome's political and economic power.

It was through the "cursus publicus" that Rome sustained control over trade, tax collection, commercial regulation, and responses to economic challenges. It kept the wheels of commerce turning, ensured that official supplies - from grains and olive oil to textiles and metals - moved swiftly, and maintained the empire's hold over its provinces.

But whe...