Persian Royal Road: Route Map and History

Highway of the Achaemenid kings from Sardis to Susa, about 2,700 km long. Royal couriers with relays of horses covered it in about a week, according to Herodotus.

Map of the Persian Royal Road in 500 BC — Border map for 500 BC. See Europe in 500 BC.

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Key facts

Active	500 BC – 330 BC (approximate)
Length shown on the map	about 2,100 km
Main stops	5

Stops along the Persian Royal Road

	Stop	Ruled by in 500 BC	Ruled by in 400 BC
1	Sardis	Achaemenid Empire	Achaemenid Empire
2	Gordion	Achaemenid Empire	Achaemenid Empire
3	Halys crossing	Achaemenid Empire	Achaemenid Empire
4	Arbela	Achaemenid Empire	Achaemenid Empire
5	Susa	Achaemenid Empire	Achaemenid Empire

The route is drawn schematically through its main stops; real caravans and ships used many variants. The state columns come from the border maps closest to each year.

Other trade routes

Silk Road · 130 BC–1450
Maritime Silk Road · 100 BC–1500
Incense Route · 500 BC–AD 200
Amber Road · 100 BC–AD 400
Route from the Varangians to the Greeks · AD 800–1100
Trans-Saharan Route (western) · AD 300–1600
Trans-Saharan Route (central) · AD 600–1900
Hanseatic trade route · 1250–1600
Cape Route to India · 1498–1869
Atlantic triangular trade · 1520–1867

Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.