It derives from the 2^nd Armoured Brigade constituted on 15^th July 1937 in Milan; its first unit was the 3^rd Bersaglieri Regiment, followed by the 8^th Bersaglieri Regiment and the 32^nd Tank Infantry Regiment in November 1938.

On 1^st February 1939 the Brigade was changed into 132^nd "Ariete" Armoured Division, composed of the 8^th Bersaglieri Regiment, the 32^nd Tank Infantry and the 132^nd Armoured Artillery.

Since 1^st September 1941 the Division, deployed in Northern Africa, has also included the 132^nd Tank Infantry Regiment that substituted the 32^nd Regiment dissolved on 31^st December 1941. On 8^th December 1942 the Division disappeared during the battle of El Alamein.

In order to maintain a glorious tradition had in a short time, the "Ariete" was the most mentioned Army Unit by the war bulletins of the High Command during the Second World War. On 1^st April 1943 in Italy the 135^th "Ariete" Cavalry Armoured Division appeared, composed of the Cavalry Regiments of "Montebello", "Vittorio Emanuele II" and "Lucca", the 135^th and 235^th Artillery Regiments, the 134^th self-propelled Antitank Battalion and the 134^th Engineer Battalion. This big unit was dissolved on 12^th September 1943 after the defence​ of Rome.

Since 23^rd May 1948 the "Ariete" Armoured Group was instituted and on 1^st June 1948 it formed the "Ariete" Armoured Brigade in Rome. The Brigade was composed of a Command, the 8^th Bersaglieri Regiment, the 132^nd Tank Regiment, the 132nd Artillery Regiment, and support units; since 1^st October 1952 it became "Ariete" Armoured Division, including also the 19^th "Guide" Explore Group, an Engineer Company and a Signals Company.

In 1963 the big unit assumed the standard OTAN staff and it was organized in 1^st Mechanized Brigade (formed on 1^st January in Pordenone with the 8^th Bersaglieri Regiment, the 1^st Group of the 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment, the Services Battalion, the Engineer Company, the Signals Company); 2^nd Armoured Brigade (formed on 1^st October in Pordenone with the 32^nd Tanks Regiment, the 2^nd Group of the 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment, the 2^nd Services Battalion, an Engineer Company and a Signals Company); 3^rd Armoured Brigade (formed on 1^st January in Maniago with the 132^nd Tanks Regiment, the 3^rd Group of the 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment, the 3^rd Services Battalion, an Engineer Company, a Signals Company); Artillery Brigade (formed on 1^st October in Casarsa with the 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment Command, a Command Unit, Artillery Specialists Gun Battery, the 4^th and 5^th Group of the 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment).

That organization was abandoned in October 1968 when the "Ariete" Brigade retook the previous organization.

With the reorganization of the Army, since 1^st October 1975 it assumed at its dependencies the 32^nd "Mameli" and the 132^nd "Manin" Armoured Brigades, as well as the 8^th "Garibaldi" Mechanized Brigade; there were also other support units.

On 1^st October 1986 the Unit was dissolved and meanwhile the 132^nd "Ariete" Armoured Brigade Command was instituted to change the Command of the suppressed "Manin" Brigade.

The new-formed unit included the 8^th "M.O. Secchiaroli", the 10^th "M.O. Bruno" and the 13^th "M.O. Pascucci" Tanks Battalions, the 27^th "Jamiano" Bersaglieri Battalion, the 20^th Artillery Group for "Piave" self-propelled Campaign, the "Ariete" Logistics Battalion, an Antitank Company, an Engineer Company and a Command and Signals Unit.

The complements changed in 1989 (the 13^th Tanks Battalion passed at the dependencies of the "Mantova" Mechanized Brigade), in 1991 (the 10^th Tanks Battalion in January and the 20^th Artillery Group for "Rialto" self-propelled Campaign in March, they are suppressed; they were assigned the 19^th Artillery Group for "Rialto" self-propelled Campaign, the 3^rd "M.O. Galas" Tanks Battalion, the 5^th "M.O. Chiamenti" Tanks Battalion and the 23^rd "Castel di Borgo" Bersaglieri Battalion) and in 1992 (the 2^nd "Pordenone" Recruits Training Battalion was acquired while the 23^rd Bersaglieri Battalion was moved to "Aosta" Mechanized Brigade).

With the new organization of the Armed Force that provided for the restoration of the regimental level, since 1992 the Brigade has had the following structure: Command, Command and Tactical Supports Unit, 32^nd and 132^nd Tanks Regiment, 11^th Bersaglieri Regiment, 132^nd Armoured Artillery Regiment, 26^th "Castelfidardo" Battalion (that was already "Pordenone"), "Ariete" Logistics Battalion.

Since 1^st December 2000 also the 10^th Engineer Regiment was included and then, after the "Centauro" Mechanized Brigade was dissolved, the 3^rd Bersaglieri Regiment and the 4^th Tanks Regiment became part of the Brigade. ​