In Roman times, Mount Zuccon intercepted the road connecting Forum Iulii (Cividale del Friuli) to the consular road from Aquileia to Norico, which was strategically important during the late antique and early medieval periods for the castrum Nemas, remembered by Paul the Deacon. At the end of the 19th century, the stretch of road near the town was identified, along with remains of buildings with mosaics, a burial site, some coins, and a bronze statuette. The existence of an ancient “castle” (the “Cjscjel di San Zorz”) is attributable to the remains of a fortification visible in the ruins of a small church dedicated to Saint George, abandoned in the early 19th century. Investigations conducted between 1987 and 1988 highlighted a settlement between the final Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, fragments of walls and ceramics (jars, vases, bowls) were found, dating to both that period and the 5th century AD, during a general reorganization of the defensive network throughout the Alpine range. In this era the site was fortified with a wall about one meter wide, and ceramic containers, everyday objects, and some arrowheads were found. It is believed that the castrum was occupied at least until the Middle Ages, although its precise identification remains uncertain. Between the 8th and 10th centuries AD, remains relating to a place of worship dedicated to Saint George seem to have been identified above a small pre-existing building.
