AD 132

By place

Roman Empire

• The Temple of Olympian Zeus is completed using Cossutius' design.
• The messianic, charismatic Jewish leader Simon bar Kokhba starts a war of liberation for Judea against the Romans, which is eventually crushed by emperor Hadrian. Rabbi Akiva is supportive of the rebellion.
• The legion X Fretensis must evacuate Jerusalem, returning to Caesarea. The Jews enter the city and re-establish their system of sacrifices. They strike coins to celebrate their independence, which would last for only 30 months. The legion XXII Deiotariana, which advanced from Egypt, is completely destroyed.
• Merchants in Britain build structures outside the forts of Hadrian's Wall and offer goods and services to Roman soldiers, who receive salaries in a region that otherwise has virtually no ready money.
• Construction begins on the Mausoleum of Hadrian in Rome, today known as Castel Sant'Angelo.

  Asia

• Change of era name from Yongjian to Yangjia of the Chinese Han Dynasty.

  By topic

Arts and sciences

• Chinese scientist Zhang Heng invents the first seismometer for determining the exact cardinal direction of earthquakes hundreds of miles away; the device employs a series of complex gears around a central swinging pendulum.