Hittites

The Ancient Hittites

The Hittites were an ancient people who lived a very long time ago in a place called Anatolia, which is now part of Turkey. They lived during a time called the Bronze Age, and they built big cities and made an empire with a capital named Hattusa.

The Hittites were known for their skills and used chariots in battles. We learn about them from old writings found in their old territories. These writings were in a special language called Hittite, which is one of the oldest known languages from a group called Indo-European.

Today, many people are interested in the Hittites, especially in Turkey, where museums show their artworks and old objects. The Sphinx Gate entrance to the city of Hattusa is one of the famous remains from their time.

The Hittites called their kingdom Hattusa, a name that came from the Hattians, people who lived in central Anatolia before them. Scientists first thought the Hittites were the people mentioned in the Bible, but they are now looking at this idea more carefully.

Excavations at places like Boğazköy have uncovered royal archives with thousands of tablets. These tablets confirmed the identity of the empire mentioned in old letters. The ruins at Boğazköy were proven to be the remains of a large empire.

The Hittite kingdom was centered around the cities of Hattusa and Neša (Kültepe) in the land called Hatti. After Hattusa became the capital, the area around the Kızılırmak River became very important. The river helped separate different parts of the empire.

The Hittite Empire grew strong under leaders like Šuppiluliuma I in the mid-14th century BC. At its height, it covered much of Anatolia and parts of northern Syria and Upper Mesopotamia. The empire faced challenges from other powerful neighbors, such as the Hurri-Mitanni and the Assyrians. Over time, the empire ended around 1180 BC due to invasions, droughts, and internal issues.

The Hittites were one of the first groups to have a government led by a king. The king was the main leader. He acted as a commander, judge, and religious figure. Other important people, like the chief of the royal bodyguards or the chief scribe, also had their own jobs.

The Hittite economy was based on farming and raising animals. They grew mainly barley and different types of wheat. They also raised cattle, sheep, goats, horses, mules, and donkeys. The land was thought to belong to the gods, but the king controlled the best parts. People could get land from the king if they served in the army.

The Hittites had special ways to honor and tell stories about gods. Their stories were shaped by nearby cultures such as the Hattic, Mesopotamian, Canaanite, and Hurrian peoples. One important god for the Hittites was the Storm god. They called him Tarhunt. He was seen as the great leader of the gods. The Hittites held many festivals for their gods, like the Puruli festival in spring.