In the Roman period, the city was a municipium of the Stellatina tribe and part of the seventh regio of the province of Italia.

In 1172 Ferentium was conquered, sacked, and depopulated by Viterbo, and the territory incorporated into this neighboring city.

Much of the early work at the site is due to the "archaeologist king" Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden.

[5] Many of the most important remains may be found in the National Archaeological Museum at Rocca Albornoz, Viterbo, including some reconstructed building remains and some marble statues depicting characters from classical tragedy and comedy which presumably came from the area of the theater.

Nearby sites include "Acquarossa" which was itself excavated in the years between 1956 and 1978 by the Swedish Institute in Rome.