In ancient times the city of Nerse was the capital of the Res Publica Equicolanorum, the administrative organization of Equicoli.

It is mentioned by Virgil in the VII book of Aeneid: And you too Ufens, sent to battle from mountainous Nersae, well known to fame, and fortunate in arms, whose people of the hard Aequian earth, are especially tough, and hunt extensively in the forests. They plough the earth while armed, and always delight in carrying off fresh spoils, and living on plunder. Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia mentions consiligo grass, a grass that grew in Aequicolis circa vicum Nervesiae . The ancient city had facilities such as thermae, a theater, a forum and a necropolis. In Nerse lots of gods were worshipped, such as Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Hercules and Mitra. There still are numerous inscriptions found in the surrounding territory, to testify the great importance Nerse once had.