General
Population: Perhaps 100 million*
- Entertainment: Homer writes The Iliad and The Odyssey (see 800 BC) (850 BC)
- Deaths: Assurnasirpal II of Assyria (859 BC),
Ahab of Israel (852 BC),
Homer (850 BC?)
Americas
- North: Start of Zapotec civilization in Mexico (850 BC)
- South: Andes mountains hold Chavin civilization and their temple at Chavin de Huantar - Peruvians pilgrimage to worship the Smiling God (850 BC)
Middle East
- General: Ahab of Israel, Ben Hadad of Damascus, and Irkhuleni of Hamath lead army to halt Shalmaneser III's advance - supported by Egypt and Jehoshaphat of Judah (854 BC)
Assyrians defeate Levantine states at Qarqar (854 BC)
Battle of Qarqaar - Assyrian King Shlmaneser III defeated by King Ahab of Israel and hadad-ezer of Damascus (853 BC)
War between Israel and Samascus (Syria) (852 BC)
- Assyria: End of Assurnasirpal II and start of Shalmaneser III (859 BC)
- Babylon: Babylon dependent on Assyrian military (853 BC)
- Israel: Death of King Ahab (852 BC)
Elijah and Elisha defend Jewish faith against Levantine beliefs (850 BC)
- Persia: Medes migrate into Iran from central Asia (850 BC)