The history of San Bartolomeo al Mare can be  found in the ancient nuclei of "San Bartolomeo" and the "Rovere" .  the latter  ,  rich in  roman ruins dicovered in the surroundings of the Santuario di Nostra Signora della Rovere, is situated in the distinct and complex area of "Lucus Bormani"  where there are the ruins of a roman mansion ,   which  archaeologists have dated from I and II century a.d 

The same area has also  revealed ceramics dating to iv century b.c., a period well   before  the roman conquest and the same  valley - entirely taken up by sacred woods dedicated by the ancient ligurians to the native god Borman - was a religious landmark for the entire province.

Here passed the track of the  via Augusta, which replaced  the even more ancient Eraclea , already known to the greeks, which    through Liguria linked the italica area with iberia; evidence of this is the ancient milestone  kept in the village of Chiappa .The above mentioned find was part of  the works commissioned by Augustus in 13   b.c. to improve the transit of the legions engaged first of all in subduing the rebel ligurian tribes , and later in the conquest of Gallia.

Another important discovery   is the remains of an honorary  roman ship, the "Felix Pacata", sunk in the gulf waters around mid 1° century  a.d.. The wreck is situated approximately  one mile   from the  coast and  42 metres deep . the ship  was used to transport  wine from Spain, liquid contained in  huge vessels of over three thousand litre capacity and in hundreds of terracotta  jars 

These findings already salvaged for the main part  and along with the remains  of the wreck of the hulk ( yet to be recovered-) will be  recomposed in  a specially set up wing of the  “Palazzo Muzio” in  Diano Marina

The modern  residential area of San Bartolomeo al Mare  has been built-up both around the old district adjacent to the old parish church dedicated to the saint, as well as on the coastal belt where ther is the Santa Maria bastion (rampart) erected in 1585 to defend the town from pirate raids. For defensive reasons, in fact, during the xvi° century a   method for sighting was built from Cape Berta to Cape Cervo of which the tower of San Bartolomeo was part