The history of Cuttack is deciphered from the excavated archaeological leftovers and the inscriptions of different kings, who have colonized the region. Cuttack stepped first in the pages of Indian history, with its establishment as a military cantonment of the British because of its invincible situation.

However the past history of Cuttack is limited to the inscriptional details, which have been excavated so far. As the inscriptions of Anagamahadeva III refers the original city as Abhinab-Baranasi-Katak. Cuttack is also known as "Abhinab Baranasi" because resembling Baranasi, it also situated between two rivers Mahanadi and Kathajodi. So far the historical records of Cuttack are analyzed, it relates that the entire tract of Cuttack is an amalgamation of five villages viz. Choudwar Katak, Saranasi Katak, Sarangagarh Katak, Viraja Katak and Amaravati Katak.

In the remote past as is known from the chronicles of Cuttack, it was connected with the famous medieval ports like Chelitalo, Palur and Tarmalipti, which utters that Cuttack had trade relations with those countries in the medieval age. At the same time it also indicates to the very fact that Cuttack existed even in the middle ages. However Cuttack did not appear in the national politics until 8th Century A.D and finally served as the capital city of Orissa since the Somavansis attained the throne in the 10th Century A.D.

The importance of Cuttack as a significant administrative unit originates from the fact early in 12th century when the king Chodagangadeva ascended the throne and transferred his capital to Cuttack from Kalinga Nagar. The famous Ganga ruler Anangabhimadeva III to protect his country from the foreign aggression constructed their Barabati fort in 1229 A.D.

After the Gangas Orissa passed into the hands of the Gajapati, under whom Cuttack continued to be the capital of the state. As it is accounted in Ain-I- Akbari, during the supremacy of the Mughals in India, Cuttack was a flourishing capital under the native ruler Mukunda Deva. On the eve of Afghan invasion Cuttack was found well-protected and fortified Capital. However the Afghans were predestined to be ousted by the Mughals and the Muhgals continued to be the capital of Muhgal Orissa for a couple of years.

But the Mughals could not retain their supremacy in Orissa for long and they yielded before the vibrant Marathas. During the Marathas, the history of Cuttack delineates the scenario of prosperous trade and economy of Cuttack. Cuttack at that very time served as the central market of exchange between the Marathas of Nagpur and the British merchant of Bengal and North Circar.

Following the historical records of Cuttack, according to the treaty of Deogaon in 1803, Cuttack came under the jurisdictional control of the British. With the aim to constitute a strong political foundation, the British set to consolidate the fragmented parts and the land revenue administration. But the British suffered a set back in 1866, due to the devastating famine. Finally the Government resolved to remove the isolation of Cuttack from the rest of the country observing the after effect of the destructive catastrophe of the famine. In the second half of the past century, Cuttack was interlinked with the rest of the country and a number of waterways and roads are developed in the heart of the city. Finally in the last decade of the 19th century the BNR railway line connected Cuttack directly with Madras and Calcutta.

As the history runs, Cuttack was the nerve center of the nationalist movement during the Indian Struggle for Independence. During the course of freedom struggle, Swaraj Ashram of Sahebazada Bazaar was the center of all nationalist activities. The indoctrinated followers of Gandhiji assembled in the Ashram to discuss the principles and ideals of Gandhi to expel the British from India. The growing militant and revolutionary activities in Cuttack appeared as a threat to the British and they appointed a Commissioner of Orissa division stationed in Cuttack till 1936. Cuttack has been serving as the administrative and the commercial hub of Eastern India since its advent.

In the post independence period, Cuttack was reduced from the status of the capital city following the decision of the State government that Bhubaneswar will be the new capital of Orissa because of administrative convenience. Cuttack till date is significant as one of the oldest city of India.