Castra Peregrina
| Location | Caelian Hill |
|---|---|
| Built in | 1st Century AD |
| Built by/for | Augustus |
| Type of structure | Roman Barracks |
| Related | List of ancient monuments in Rome |
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Coordinates: 41°53′04″N 12°29′39″E / 41.884531°N 12.494212°E
The Castra Peregrina (“camp of the strangers”) was an ancient military barracks located in Rome upon the Caelian Hill.
The barracks are situated on the Caelian Hill between the Temple of the Deified Claudius and Neros’ Macellum Magnum. It is centrally located on a hill known for its housing of wealthy Romans. The fourth-century Regionaries list the Castra Peregrina in regio II. The camp was discovered during digging for the foundations of a convent and hospital and partially excavated from 1904-1909. It can now be found just south-east of the well preserved church S. Stefano Rotondo.
As the name suggests, the barracks housed a garrison of peregrini; soldiers from the provincial armies detached for special services in Rome. These consisted of a majority of frumentarii and inscriptions suggest that the Castra Peregrina acted as a central base for the distribution of these men throughout the unarmed provinces (inermes). The frumentarii, who were likely based, and not only housed, at the Castra Peregrina, were initially involved in the provision supply service of Rome, but were later employed as military couriers and members of the secret service.
Richardson suggests that the brickwork demonstrates an Augustan origin with a second century A.D. rebuilding, probably under Severus, and another rebuilding in third century A.D., however the earliest mention of the princeps peregrinorum (camp-commandant) in Rome was during the reign of Trajan. It is also mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus, showing that it was in use as late as the fourth century A.D.
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