The territory of the commune was inhabited in the
Middle Paleolithic period but it was especially in the
Neolithic that the area experienced increased human activity. The quality of the
flint outcroppings in the Largue valley allows its breakdown into large blades. Due to the use of leverage, these materials were produced in large numbers and many of these workshops are known to be in the commune. These blades were distributed over a wide geographical area. The density of Neolithic occupation in the Largue valley was recognized early in the 20th century. In 1906, Mr. Deydier mentioned the existence of many Neolithic flint quarries over an area of hundreds of hectares in the communes of
Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire,
Vachères, and Aubenas-les-Alpes. The
Inventory of Neolithic and protohistoric settlements lists 12 sites in the commune of Aubenas-les-Alpes. There is no indication of occupation during the metal ages. In several parts of the commune there are ceramic
Tegulae and
Terra sigillata which indicate occupation in
Gallo-Roman times. In
Antiquity the Aubenas area was part of the land of the
Sogiontiques (Sogiontii), whose territory extended from the
Baronnies to the
Durance. The Sogiontiques were federated with the
Vocontii and, after the Roman conquest, they were attached with them to the
Roman province of
Gallia Narbonensis. In the 2nd century they were detached from Vocontii and formed a distinct
Civitas with their capital at Segustero (Sisteron). The Largue and Aiguebelle valleys were the sites of several mills. Today a dozen mills still exist. As with many communes in the department, Aubenas had a school well before the
Jules Ferry laws: in 1863 it already had one that provided primary education for boys in the chief town. No instruction was given to girls: neither the
Falloux Laws (1851), which required the opening of a girls' school in communes with more than 800 inhabitants nor the first Duruy law (1867), which lowered the threshold to 500 inhabitants affected Aubenas. It was only after the Ferry laws that the girls in the commune were regularly educated. In the 20th century the cultivation of
lavender was established and also a distillery. Meanwhile, the culture of grapevines for the production of wine reserved for consumption was progressively phased out.
Heraldry ==Administration==