850s BC

Events and trends

859 BC — Assurnasirpal II died.
859 BC — Shalmaneser attacked Syria and Palestine.
858 BC — Aramu becomes king of Urartu.
858 BC — Shalmaneser III succeeds Assurnasirpal II as king of Assyria.
854 BC or 853 BC — Shalmaneser III battles a Syrian coalition (including king Ahab of Kingdom of Israel and Hadadezer) in the battle of Karkar.
850 BC — Takelot II succeeds Osorkon II as King of Egypt.
c. 850 BC — Homer writes the Iliad and Odyssey.
c. 850 BC — Assurnasirpal II killing lions, from the palace complex of Assurnasirpal II in Kalhu (modern Nimrud, Iraq) is made. It is now in The British Museum, London.
Nazarites and Rechabites establish early temperance movement.