SAEDNEWS: During the Achaemenid Empire, travelers were given clay tablets similar to today’s credit cards, on which their travel expenses were recorded.
According to Saednews, Interestingly, during the Achaemenid Empire, Persian kings used a system resembling modern credit cards to cover the expenses of government officials traveling on royal business.
During the Achaemenid period, officials such as judges, accountants, auditors, and specialists in various government departments were given clay tablets that served a purpose similar to modern credit cards. The travelers’ expenses were recorded on these tablets.
Holders of these tablets could present them to government officials at roadside stations and gain access to services and accommodation at designated rest stops.
Many examples of these tablets were preserved at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute. In 2004, these tablets, along with 311 other similar artifacts, were returned to Iran.
