raeda

carriage

Also known as: reda

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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A raeda was a four-wheeled vehicle used in ancient Rome, comparable to later stagecoaches for passengers or freight wagons for cargo. Fast freight raedae were pulled by eight horses in the summer and ten in the winter, with a legal weight limit of 750 pounds. Travel speeds varied, with freight vehicles moving about 15 miles per day, while speedy post drivers could cover up to 75 miles daily. The term "carriage" can refer to a wheeled vehicle, particularly a horse-drawn one designed for comfort, or a railway passenger coach. It can also describe a wheeled support for a burden, one's posture, or the act of carrying.12

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A four-wheeled raeda in its passenger version corresponded to the stagecoaches of a later period and in its cargo version to the freight wagons. Fast freight raedae were drawn by 8 horses in summer and 10 in winter and, by law, could not haul in excess of…
Read More
A four-wheeled raeda in its passenger version corresponded to the stagecoaches of a later period and in its cargo version to the freight wagons. Fast freight raedae were drawn by 8 horses in summer and 10 in winter and, by law, could not haul in excess of…
Read More