ἀγγαρεύω

ἀγγαρεύω — angareúō

ἀγγαρεύω; future ἀγγαρεύσω; 1 aorist ἠγγάρευσα; to employ a courier, despatch a mounted messenger. A word of Persian origin (used by Menander, Sicyon. 4), but adopted also into Latin (Vulg.angariare). Ἄγγαροι were public couriers (tabellarii), stationed by appointment of the king of Persia at fixed localities, with horses ready for use, in order to transmit royal messages from one to another and so convey them the more speedily to their destination. See Herodotus 8, 98 (and Rawlinson's note); Xenophon, Cyril 8, 6, 17 (9); cf. gesenius, Thesaurus under the word אִגֶרֶת; (B. D. under the word; Vanicek, Fremdwörter under the word ἄγγαρος). These couriers had authority to press into their service, in case of need, horses, vessels, even men they met (cf. Josephus, Antiquities 13, 2, 3). Hence, ἀγγαρεύειν τινα denotes to compel one to go a journey, to hear a burden, or to perform any other service: Mat 5:41 (ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν i. e. whoever shall compel thee to go one mile); Mat 27:32 (ἠγγάρευσαν ἵνα ἄρῃ i. e. they forced him to carry), so Mar 15:21.