532

By place

Byzantine Empire

• January 11 - Nika riots in Constantinople: Anger among the supporters of the most important chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—escalates into violence towards the emperor. For the next five days the capital is in chaos. The fires that start during the tumult result in the destruction of much of the city, including the Hagia Sophia. The insurrection is put down a week later by Belisarius and Mundus; 30,000 people are killed in the Hippodrome.
• February 23 - Emperor Justinian I orders the building of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople - the Hagia Sophia. He chooses Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles as architects. The material for the construction is brought from all over the empire - such as Hellenistic columns from the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and large stones from quarries in Porphyry, Egypt. More than 10,000 people are employed.
• September - Justinian I signs a peace treaty, the "Eternal Peace", with the Persian king Khosrau I, ending the Iberian War. Both sides agree to return all occupied territories, and Justinian makes a one-off payment of 110 centenaria, as a contribution to the defense of the Caucasus passes.

  Europe

• The Franks, under command of King Childebert I and his brother Chlothar I, invade the Kingdom of Burgundy. They defeat the Burgundians under King Godomar near Autun.

  Asia

• An Ding Wang commits suicide, and is succeeded by Xiao Wu Di as Chinese emperor of Northern Wei.
• Silla conquers the city-state of Geumgwan Gaya during the Three Kingdoms Period.

  By topic

Arts and sciences

• First year in which the Anno Domini calendar is used for numbering the years.

  Religion

• October 17 - Pope Boniface II dies in Rome after a 2-year reign.