The first reference to Duba, under this name, is from 1203. However, the Valley of Salma and Valley of Kafafah were already known many centuries before.
The ancient Greek scholar Ptolemy mentioned a trade route leading from Kafafah to Lihyan (today's Al-`Ula). Sheikh Abdulghani Al Nabulsi wrote about Duba in 1790, in his account of going to Mecca for the Hajj.
Historically it is part of Madian; the city is mentioned in heavenly scriptures. According to Quran, Prophet Mosa settled in Madian (the region starts from Jordan river and extends to the town of Duba) where Prophet Shoaib hosted him. The town of Prophet Shoib as it is called is said to be located near Maqna where an ancient well can still be seen. The well is said to be the one where Prophet Mosa fed Prophet Shoaib's flock.
The Ottoman Turks fortified the city during their rule, protecting the route from Egypt to Arabia.
The Saudi conquest of the city in 1933 moved it into the modern form. King Abdulaziz built his castle there in the same year
