The roots of diplomacy...

The word “diplomacy” comes from the Greek word "diploma" διπλομα, which literally means 'folded in two'. In ancient Greece, a diploma was a certificate certifying completion of a course of study, typically folded in two. This must have evolved further. Messages from the sovereign ruler to another were obviously very important and needed confidentiality, discretion, and special treatment.

During the Roman Empire, the word "diploma" was used to describe official travel documents, such as passports and passes for imperial roads, that were stamped on double metal plates. Later, the meaning was extended to cover other official documents such as treaties with foreign tribes. In the 1700s the French called their body of officials attached to foreign legations the corps "diplomatique". The word "diplomacy" was first introduced into the English language by Edmund Burke in 1796, based on the French word "diplomatie".

From this it seems that the business of carrying a message folded into some kind of envelope was the original function of a diplomat. Today, the three things, the message, the container, and the act of conveying it to its destination, have all evolved considerably into many variations and diverse forms. From this starting point, the world of diplomacy can be explored, and its impact on the lives of ordinary citizens assessed.