Human occupation in the municipality of Mondim de Basto dates back at least to the
Iron Age, around the 4th and 2nd centuries BCE, as evidenced by the archaeological site of Crastoeiro. In the 2nd century BCE,
Roman legions under the consul
Decimus Junius Brutus conquered the region and established the town of Maranus in the parish of Ermelo. Escavations at Crastoeiro revealed some of the earliest recorded rye in the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting that it was introduced during the initial contacts with the Romans. The site at Crastoeiro was abandoned by the 1st century CE. Archaeological and documentary evidence suggests the existence of a medieval bridge over the
Tâmega River in Mondim de Basto, mentioned in a testament from 1282. Mondim de Basto lay along a variant of the
Camino de Santiago, known as the Caminho das Terras de Basto, connecting Vila Real to the town. While historical records indicate that the route saw relatively few pilgrims compared to other northern routes, it was still a notable passage for pilgrims traveling from
Panóias Sanctuary and other inland settlements in
Trás-os-Montes. In the 15th century, the Bohemian baron
Jaroslav Lev of Rožmitál is recorded to have passed through the region en route to
Santiago de Compostela. During the 18th century, Mondim de Basto developed a tanning and leather industry, supplying the rest of the country with leather and shoes. In 1811, Mondim de Basto was occupied and plundered by French troops during the
Peninsular War, with skirmishes reported on 11 January. In 1882, a new bridge over the Tâmega was inaugurated, replacing the old bridge of Mondim. ==Parishes==