CS100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Smoke Signal
Document Summary
The extent of empire could be used as an indication of the efficiency of communication" (innis, 1972:9) . In the early dawn of historic times, it was much harder to communicate. The only way to control the land, is to have some level of control over the communication. Sending messengers (emperors didn"t travel to find out what was going on, they used messengers to find out what was going on) Marathon (origins come from battle of marathon, sent a messenger that runs for 26. 2 miles, he delivered the message then collapsed and died) Used smoke signal from hilltop to hilltop. It used line of site when it might be to far to run and send a messenger. These messages are important when running an empire. Could prevent uprise, tell people when they won a war, talked about farming. Communication was the key to ruling an empire. Information was important and getting it from place to place was important.
