The hill town lies in a superb panoramic position dominating the Camerte hallow running south from the Monte Sibillini massif and Monte St. Vicino to the north.
Its territory mainly consists of a hilly landscape of sweet outlines where cultivated fields, little woods and centuries-old oaks alternate; it is rich in hillocks, valleys and high ground from which ancient towers and picturesque Medieval fortress stand out.
The origins of the name seem to derive from “Kamars” (rock, fortress) going back to the late neolithic era. As evidenced by the many finds unearthed in the area, these lands were already settled by prehistoric populations.
With the arrival of the Camerities, Umbran peoples who scaled the Apennines, the territory's aspect began a slow change, founding different identities and giving origin to a small population the “Umbri Camerti”. In the Roman era these settlements took on ever more relevance and  growth thanks to its position as well as the treaty of alliance, Aequum Foedus (309 B.C.) stipulated with Rome.
With the advent of Christianity, a cult to the martyred Saint Venanzio began to spread; he was a young man from a wealthy Camerino family who had converted to Christianity, was persecuted by the Romans, who wanted the reconversion to Paganism.
After fighting off Gothic aggression in 533, the city passed under Byzantine domination, where it remained until 592.
In the year 465, the place became a bishopric and was put at the head of a wide ecclesiastical jurisdiction, maintained for over a thousand years.   
During Longobards times, it became an important fortress seat of a Marquisate and a dukedom, at times incorporated in, at times disconnected from Spoleto.
Later, during the Carlo Magno domination, Camerino made up a part of the Church's possessions becoming chief town of the homonymous Marca that stretched from the Apennines to the Adriatic sea.
Already in the year 1000, Camerino was a flourishing, independent commune holding a concession to mint its own coin. At first a Ghibelline stronghold, it soon became a Guelph fortress with a legislative seat in “Marca Pontificia” (1240), which caused it to be destroyed in 1256, by Manfredi's Imperial army. During this siege, most of the population was massacred; only a few managed to flee to safety through a gap in the walls (today Corrotto street).
Thanks to the subsequent intervention of Gentile da Varano, the city was rebuilt and cordoned off by a surrounding twelve-kilometre-long barrier composed of towers, moats and barricades constructed of great cutdown trunks, identified by the name “Intagliata”.
The Varano nobles settled in Camerino in mid- XIII century, creating great relevance and supervising its destiny for about three centuries. Da Varano Camerino enjoyed its supreme glory in the Julius Caesar period. It became a Renaissance city, rich in art (Camerinese school of painting of the year 400) and trade (the Camerino merchants had stores in Venice, Florence and Rome), building palaces, among which the Ducal palace, at the time considered to be one of the most sumptuous in Italy, founding the St. Clare monastery and establishing in 1336 the prestigious Camerino university, still today renowned throughout Italy.
During this time, the city was divided into three “Terzieri”: Sossanta, Di Mezzo, Muralto, the same that still today appear on the coat of arms, stylised as three houses.
In 1502, Cesare Borgia, named Duke Valentino, made his entrance into the city, clearing out the Da  Varanos and their issue.
He erected the Borgia Castle as a means of controlling the city and forged a communication link to the Ducal palace, as well as arming it with 42 firing positions.
After 1545, the city was placed under the direct control of the Church with the construction of a Bishop's palace right in front of the Ducal one. It was the chief seat for Apostolic delegations and began a long phase of socio-political stability, which, however, led to a silent and slow decline.
During this phase, by order of the Pope, the town was often involved in expensive receptions to celebrate the passing through of various dignitaries.
In the XVII century, the State was subdivided into over 100 communities upheld by three vicarships, but already, by the next century, the little capital of glorious nobility was reduced to a large agricultural hamlet dedicated to rearing animals.
In 1860, by general consent, Camerino was annexed to the unity of Italy.

Every year in May, on the occasion of the feast of St. Venanzio martyr, a sword race (Corsa della Spada) is held; it consists of a competition among the Terzieri, preceded by a procession of 300 costumes, among which are ladies, cavaliers, warriors, musicians and flag weavers. Thirty young men, ten for each district, challenge each other in a 1300 metre race, mostly uphill; the challenger, who reaches the finishing line first and draws the word out of a wooden block, is proclaimed the winner and receives the sword as a prize while his Terziere keeps the Palio trophy until the following year. 

Monuments