History
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Camerino's history has its roots before the neolitic as it is revealed by the frequent traces found on the territory. It was allied with Rome during the second Samnite wars and signed with the eternal town an "acquem feudus", an alliance between equals, (309 B.C.), mentioned also by Livius and Cicero. During the second Punic wars, the Roman consul Caio Mario, after he had praised the courage of the Camerino troops once again run to help Rome, exalted its value and gave the soldiers the Roman citizenship (101 B.C.).
During the roman Empire, Camerino assurged to the
status of Colony and became a diocesan centre already in the
fourth century (the first papers date back to 465), keeping a
wide ecclesiastic jurisdiction for more than a thousand year. It
was reduced only after 1300 with the creation of new dioceses.
Following the reform of the provinces carried on by Charlemagne
Camerino became the chieftown of the Marca extending from the
Appennines to the sea. It played an important role in the war
affairs of the Italian kings of the time. It was a Free City and
a guelph stronghold. Being a seat of the papal legation in the
region, it was besieged and destroyed by the troops of Manfredi
led by Percivalle Doria (1259). The town rose thanks to the
intervention of the Da Varano family who, except for short
breaks, ruled the town from 1200 to 1539.
The lordship of Giulio Cesare da Varano (1464-1502)
opens the age of greatest prosperity for the city. The greatness
of the Lord of Camerino did not only manifest itself in military
enterprises and in the wisdom of his administration but also in
the patronage of the arts and letters. Lili, a scholar, tells us
that after 1468 Giulio Cesare lived in piece for many years long
and his court was attended by many men of letters and by the
local and foreign noblesse.
In competition with Federico da
Montefeltro, he promoted an intense urbanistic activity which
brought to the reshaping of the medieval town structure according
to the Renaissance model. 
In 1545
Camerino returned under the rule of the Holy See, which would
mark the beginning of the slow but steady decadence of the town.
