The origins of Martos they go back to Prehistory. Its strategic location, the existence of springs and the natural defense it offered were factors that caused the human settlement in the area.
There is evidence of different lytic materials belonging to the Paleolithic, however, the oldest documented statements are from the Neolithic. Remains of this period have been found in "El Molinillo," "Huertas Viejas" and "La Alberquilla." They are underground housing, funeral and defensive structures.
The city is known from very old, the Iberians named it Tucci and an important Iberian oppidum located in the upper part of the Peña is cited in the works of Ptolemy. There will be many settlements around Martos, such as Castlejo de Belda, La Atalaya, El Alamillo...
The Iberian city of Tucci, being occupied by the Romans, it became a colony that was named after Augusta Gemella Tuccitana. Many remains of this time are preserved such as mosaics, coins, ceramics, weapons, marble portraits..., the most important being the collection of Roman tombstones exposed on the façade of the Casa Consistorial de Martos.
From the visigode period, the paleocristian sarcophagus which is preserved in the Provincial Museum is the most important archaeological piece appeared in the town.
In the year 711 The Visigodic monarchy on the Iberian peninsula ends with the arrival of Muslims. Since the 9th century it was a very disputed border city. From this time are the castle of the Peña, the walls and torreons of the castle of the Villa. In 1225, Martos became part of the kingdom of Castilla, which King Fernando III will donate to the Order of Calatrava.
From the 13th century it acquired great splendor that will be increased with King Fernando the Catholic and the arrival of settlers from Castile and the Moorish of the Alpujarras.
The 16th century was a stage of economic, social expansion and of great transformation of the villa with the construction of new buildings, the remodeling of others and the expansion of the urban town.
During the 20th century, With the development of the olive grove, the arrival of the railway and the road there was a great population growth that decreased in the decades of the 50 and 60 of the last century caused by emigration.
The urban, social and demographic development of the city has now been increased by industrialization, being considered as one of the main industrial centres of Andalusia.