7 )
Hittites
The history of Hittites begins about 1700
BC and ends in 712 BC. A prince, whose name was Anetta,
has set up a city on his own and named it Kussara which
became the core of the Hittite Kingdom. It is believed
that the Hittites have entered Anatolia from the East.
Although Anetta is considered traditionally the founder
of Hittite Kingdom, but we have another name as the real
founder of the Kingdom, he is Labarnas I. The history of
the Hittites falls within three main periods of time.
Old Hittite Kingdom (
1720 to 1480 BC )
Great Hittite Kingdom or
Imperial Hittites ( 1480 to 1190 BC )
Late Hittite City States
( 1190 to 712 BC )
1 ) Old
Hittite Kingdom ( 1720 - 1480 BC )
This is the first political
organization in Anatolia, although people before
Hittites have lived and built here or there, they
where far from being a political unity. Labarnas I
built a strong state and organized his people under
his command and also gave his name to the first
dynasty of the Hittites. His successor Labarnas II
has moved the capital of the Kingdom from Kussara to
Hattussas ( modern Bogazkale ) which has become later
the capital of Hittites for over the centuries.
Labarnas II has also made successful campaigns
against Aleppo ( now in Syria ) and captured it. His
grandson Mursilis I ( 1620-1590 ) after succeeding
his grand father has marched towards Babylon and put
an end to Hammurabi dynasty. But in the capital city
was awaiting a bad surprise for him, on returning
from his campaigns, ha was murdered by his brother in
law, and an interregnum period began in Anatolia at
the cost of loss of territories captured and
conquered earlier. So, this period of intrigues and
fights over the throne continued to year 1525 BC.,
when Telepinus became the sole ruler over the Hittite
Lands. One of the many reforms he has made, was the
foundation of a high court called Pankus. This court
had a power even to judge the King himself. The 20
years following Telepinus' death was a big chaos and
disorder.
2 )
Great Hittite State or Imperial Period
We have the names of 14 kings who
were active during this period. Among these
were Suppiluliama I ( 1375-1345 BC ), Mursilis II (
1315 - 1282 BC ), Hattusilis III, Tudhalia IV ( 1250-1230
BC ). During the reign of Muvattalis, Ramses II was
in power in Egypt, the war between two most powerful
states in the Middle East area has resulted in the
first written international treaty known to us as
" Kadesh Treaty ". Although this
treaty was written originally in Accadian language,
copies in Hittite and Egyptian have been made.
Tudhalia was one of the most reformist kings in the
Hittite history, and he also organized internal and
religious affairs. Most of the ruins visible today in
Hattussas come from his time. The main problems of
this period was the Assyrians who were unwilling to
come to any terms with Hittites and also a heavy
famine hit the country that was solved by the help of
Egyptians who supplied wheat in accordance with the
terms of Kadesh Treaty. The unexpected end of the
Hittites was not because of Assyrians, but it came
from the West, the flog of people known as ' Sea
Peoples ' in the book of History of Herodotus, have
destroyed much of Asia Minor including Hittite cities
and Hattussas. This destruction happened in about
1200 BC, and the Hittites have never been able
to restore their state again. Those who survived have
moved down to Northern Syria and established
themselves as small city states.
3 )
Hittite City States ( 1190 - 712 BC )
The people who survived the massacre
of the forein invaders ' Sea Peoples ' have moved to
Northern Syria and integrated with native people of
the area and built many towns. As the survivors of
the Hittites were far from being a political unity,
we know this period as City States Period. It would
be wrong to believe that these people were the
continuation of the Hittites, because their political
and art life show significant differences from area
to area. So, they must have been assimilated by the
local cultures, but they also have maintasined some
of their native art and culture. The remaining
Hittite cities and towns have been totally destroyed
by the Assyrians who had, at every opportunity,
attacked the Hittites. Thus, from around 700 BC, all
of the Hittite towns have been incorporated into
Assyrian states and provinces. The vacuum created by
the disappearence of the Hittites in Anatolia was
filled by the Luwians a native community, Phrygians
the people of the King Midas, and by Urartians in the
eastern Anatolia.
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