Huesca dates from pre-Roman times, and was once known as Bolskan in the ancient Iberian language.  During Roman times, the city was known as Osca, and was a Roman colony under the rule of Quintus Sertorius, who made Osca his base. The city minted its own coinage and was the site of a prestigious school founded by Sertorius to educate young Iberians in Latin and Roman customs. It appears to have been situated on silver mines.