Sellano, situated in the valley of the stream Vigi, a right-hand tributary of the Nera river, was founded in around 84 B.C. by the Romans.

Never having been strong enough to win its independence, but being of great stategic importance because of its geographic situation, its fate through the centuries was always linked to that of the neighbouring cities. In the following epocas, it therefore fell under the rule of the Duchy of Spoleto, then under that of the Papal State and finally, under the lordship of the Collicola family.