During the Parthian rule of Persia, it was called Saavakineh, and was one of the main hubs of the empire.

According to Iranian tradition, the Magi who visited the infant Jesus traveled from Saveh, and are buried among its ruins.

Marco Polo described the tombs of the Magi in his travel book, Il Milione: In Persia is the city of Saba, from which the Three Magi set out... and in this city they are buried, in three very large and beautiful monuments, side by side.

[13]Saveh is said to have possessed one of the greatest libraries in the Middle East, until its destruction by the Mongols during their first invasion of Iran.

According to the legend mentioned in historical Persian texts, this lake dried out on the night of the birth of Muhammad.

[14] In 2004, Saveh became only the second city in the history of the Islamic Republic to appoint a woman as mayor.