HITTITE

The Hittite dynasty began around 1700 BCE after their expansion to Asia Minor. The Hittites used force and political diplomacy [i] to gain control of the region. Perhaps the most well known event in their rise was the burning of Hattusa [ii], a city in the Kussara Kingdom. The decline of the Hittites did not start until the middle of the 1200s BCE. In 1190 BCE , the Assyrians overthrew the Hittites after numerous military campaigns on land and water. The fall of the expansive Hittite Empire left Anatolia open to the Assyrians, who overtook the area and erased much of the Hittites’ legacy.

The Hittites did not have many allies. Three of the Hittites’ biggest rivals were the Cypriots, the Assyrians, and the Egyptians. In 1210 BCE the Hittites and the Cypriots engaged in the first ever recorded naval battle in history. The Hittites, led by the final king of their empire, Suppiluliuma II, were victorious. Throughout their reign, the Hittites remained political and militaristic rivals with Egypt until a peaceful resolution was met by the two kingdoms in the 1200s BCE. This monumental agreement became known as The Eternal Treaty [iii] The Hittites’ ongoing battles with the Assyrians eventually led to the empire’s downfall.

Despite much of Hittite culture being wiped away after the empire’s eventual fall to the Assyrians, the Hittite Empire still maintained an influence [iv] on the world. The most prominent evidence of their enduring influence comes from written documentation [v] pf The Eternal Treaty with Ancient Egypt. This treaty is believed to be the first ever written document in history. The Eternal Treaty was ratified in 1275 BCE after the Battle of Kadesh [vi]. Nations from all around the world still look at this peace treaty today as an example of two major world powers settling their differences through negations instead of military force.

Like most of the ancient civilizations, The Hittites were ruled by an ever-powerful king. The first king of the Hittite Empire was King Anitta [vii], who led the Hittites in the successful sacking of the city of Hattusa in 1700 BCE. Despite the fact that the Hittites were ruled by an all-powerful monarch, the Hittite people still had some say in the kingdom. In 1500 BCE, the king’s death led to a struggle for power as there were no rules in place for succession. The king of the Hittites was also the empire’s religious leader [viii] in addition to running the growing kingdom.

The reign of the Hittites began around The Bronze Age. At the height of their power, they dominated the Middle Eastern region. During the reign of King Suppiluliuma I [ix], the Hittites’ military forced the Egyptians to back out of giving support to any Hittite rival. The Hittites overtook the region [x] known today as Syria, and continued to conquer other kingdoms under Suppiluliuma’s rule. The Hittite Empire continued to grow at the expense of the Egyptian Kingdom. The feud between these two powerful empires continued even after Suppiluliuma died, up until the signing of the Treaty of Eternal Peace [xi] ended the conflict.

Despite much of their culture and records being destroyed after the empire’s fall, historians have still been able to preserve many of the Hittites’ accomplishments. Many of these lasting feats were rooted in their military successes. Perhaps one of the biggest military victories for the Hittites was the conquering of the Mittani Kingdom [xii], which was backed by Ancient Egypt. Outside of their military might, the Hittites’ biggest diplomatic accomplishment was establishing the Treaty of Eternal Peace with Egypt. A copy of the treaty document is in the United Nations [xiii], where it serves as a symbol of two great kingdoms finding peace.

The Hittite economy relied heavily on both agriculture and steel [xiv]. The Hittites had a diverse amount of experts thanks to the widespread expansion of their kingdom. The use of different metals helped the Hittite military, economy, and trade. This boosted industries including the crafting of armor, shields, swords, and spear tips. Most citizens were either free people, artisans, or slaves [xv]. Artisans were considered more skilled, whereas other paid workers were compared to slave ranks and made up much of the Hittite work force. All workers were essential to the economy which helped make the Hittite Empire a power in ancient Asia.