The early inhabitants of the area were the
Eskaya people, who lived in western Bohol, including the lowlands of Antequera at the present barangay of Viga, from the 7th century until the early 17th century. Originally the town was a barangay of
Maribojoc known as Agad. Migration from surrounding coastal areas increased the population and created many new
sitios. On 17 March 1876, the
Governor-General of the Philippines signed a decree that made Agad and all its sitios a new municipality. That same year, the governor of the district of Bohol, Joaquin Bengoechia, enacted the law that finalized the boundaries and appointed its first mayor, Simeon Villas. The new municipality was named after the
home town in Spain of Bengoechia. Antequera's name was from Roman origin
Anticaria, Antikaria, Antiquaria, meaning ancient city. In 1899, the town of
Catigbian was abolished, and the barangays of Caimbang, San Isidro, and Causwagan were added to Antequera. But it lost these barangays, along with half of Cansague, when Catigbian was reestablished on 17 June 1949. On 10 January 1970, the
municipality of San Isidro was formed, taking the barangays of Cambansag, Abehilan, and Baunos from Antequera. ==Geography==