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Castra Peregrina
Courier PostItalia · Rome, ItalyBuilt 100 CE
About
Trajan gave Rome's speculatores and frumentarii a permanent base on the Caelian Hill, the Castra Peregrina, gathering soldiers detached from provincial legions for courier and liaison duty. Speculatores carried official dispatches as mounted messengers, an early node in the empire's long-distance communications. Frumentarii based here moved between Rome and the provinces on courier business. The site later grew into a full headquarters under the Severan emperors.
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Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →