The District of Daman is known to have formed part of the country known as Lata which was one the seven divisions of the Aparant or Konkan Vishaya, between 2nd Century B.C. to 13th Century A.D. The Daman District is included in the intervening region and therefore must have formed part of the Mauryan empire at least at the time of Ashoka. After the Mauryan power was weakened, the district was under the rule of Satkarni I, the Satavahana ruler in the end of 2nd Century B.C. After that during the 1st Century A.D. the District of Daman seemed to have been ruled by Kshaharatas who were the provincial governors i.e Kshatrapas under the Kushana emperors. During A.D. 125, Satkarni drove away the Kshaharatas and ruled the districts. But the Satavahana rule was shortlived.

Navasarika, modern Navasari, on the bank of the river Purna to the north of Daman. They ruled independently as feudatories of the Badami Chalukyas of the Deccan. In the next eight centuries, Daman came under the control of a large number of Hindu kings and chieftains. 

Mahmud Shah Begada, Sultan of Gujarat, seems to have conquered fort Parnera on the river Par and port of Daman and levied tribute from Jagatshah in 1465. Naranshah who succeeded Jagatshah ruled from A.D. 1470 to 1500 and Dharmshah II from 1500 to 1531. 

Daman was acquired by the Portuguese from the Shah of Gujarat. They noticed the port of Daman for the first time in 1523. They attacked it several times and finally obtained it in 1559 by means of a treaty with the Shah. Thereafter, it was under the rule of Portuguese till its liberation in 1961.