The Sauviras seem to have been an ancient people. Their country is mentioned as early as Baudhayana's Dharmasutra. It was at that time considered an impure country, situated outside the limits of Aryandom proper; and Aryans who happened to go there were required to perform a sacrifice of purification on their return. In later literature, the Sauviras are often connected with their neighbouring tribe, the Sindhus, and the inclusive name 'Sindhu-Sauvira', at once determined that the two tribes which were later regarded as one and the same were settled on the banks Sindhu or Indus.

The Sauviras and Sindhus seem to have played an important part in the Kurukshetra war; they are described in the Bhismaparvan as having joined the Kauravas, along with the Bhargas, Andhras, Kiratas, Kosalas and Gandharas.

The Sindhus and Sauviras are usually conjoined in the Puranas, though they are mentioned separately in the Vishnu Purana. According to the Markandeya Purana, they were located in the north but the Vishnu Purana places them in the extreme west along with the Hunas. Puranic tradition seems to point to the intimate relation of the Sauviras with the Sivis, and therefore with their neighbouring Usinaras as well. The Sauviras were traditionally descended from Suvira, one of the four sons of Sivi Ausinara.

Towards the middle of the second century A.D., the land of the Sindhus and the Sauviras seem to have been administered by the Ksatrapa rulers of West India. It has been recorded in history that the Ksatrapas had wrested the country from the Kusanas, probably from one of the successors of Kanishka. After the era of the Ksatrapas, the reign of the region probably passed over to the Guptas, and later to the Maitrakas of Valabhi.

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