This region is known for its pastoral and wealthy shepherd communities in the mountains to the southwest of Sibiu, previously under the jurisdiction of the ‘seat’ of Săliște; Jina, Poiana, Rod, Tilișca and Galeș. The wider region includes the lower villages in the foothills; Săcel, Sibiel, Orlat, Gura Râului, Rășinari and along Valea Sadului to include the villages of Sadu, Tălmăcel and Boița.

Transylvania, up to the Carpathian foothills where Mărginimea Sibiului lies, has archaeological evidence of inhabitation from pre-history to the present. From the Iron Age, there are La Tené archaeological sites and fortifications at Tilisca from the Dacian period. Transylvania also has a significant Roman presence due to Roman exploitation of the thick salt layer which lays close to the surface over much of Transylvania. The Roman town of Caedonia was close to modern Sibiu.

Mărginimea Sibiului and the area around Sibiu have little evidence of settlements of invaders during the Age of Migrations, although the river Cibin, from which Sibiu gets its name, is probably from Slavic.

Mărginimea Sibiului

As with most of Transylvania the first documentation of settlements by name starts in the 13th century; Rășinari (1204), Tălmaciu (1318), Orlat (1322) and Săliște (1354) etc. Documents from the 13th and 14th centuries (such as Diploma Andreeana din 1224) mention the existence feudal organisation; “Margine” community (may be a Cnez), the Seat at Săliște, and Țara Amlasului. In 1383 Săliște is documented under the name “Magna Villa Valachiealis” in Latin. Through the middle ages these regions along with the Țara Făgărașului were at times part of the Romanian principality of Wallachia.

There are remains of Feudal castles from the Middle Ages at Rășinari and Orlat. At Orlat an early earthen castle is assigned to the Romanian population. The Salgo Castle dates from 1322 during the reign of King Bela IV, and the 1st Romanian Border Guards Regiment was established by an Imperial decree signed by Maria Theresa of Austria on April 15, 1762.