Hittites

Long ago, a group called the Hittites lived.

They lived in a land called Anatolia. They built a great city named Hattusa.

This city was the center of their empire.

The Hittites were very strong. They used fast chariots to move.

They also wrote on small clay tablets. These tablets tell us their history.

Many years later, their empire changed. They became several small groups. Some of these groups stayed for a long time. Their story is still amazing to find.

The Hittites were a group of people in West Asia.

They lived in a place called Anatolia. Long ago, they formed a great empire. Their main city was named Hattusa.

The empire was very strong at its peak. A leader named Šuppiluliuma I ruled during this time. The Hittites used fast chariots in battle.

They also wrote on clay tablets. They used a way of writing called cuneiform. These tablets help us learn about their lives.

Around 1200 BC, things began to change. The empire broke into small states. Some of these states lasted for many years. Later, other groups took over their lands. The people of the empire moved to new places. They joined other groups in the Middle East. Today, we find their art in museums. One big museum is in Ankara, Turkey. It holds many treasures from the Hittite past.

The Hittites were a major civilization from the Bronze Age.

They lived in a region called Anatolia in West Asia. This land is located in what is now modern Turkey. The Hittites were part of the Indo-European language family.

Their language is one of the oldest we know about. It is very closely related to the Luwian language. This group of people helped shape the history of the Near East.

Their society grew through several different stages.

First, they had the kingdom of Kussara before 1750 BC. Later, they formed the Kanesh or Nesha Kingdom. Around 1650 BC, they built a large empire. This empire was centered on their capital city, Hattusa.

A leader named Hattusili I helped establish this capital. He was a king who changed his name to honor the city. The Hittites also used fast chariots in their military.

History tells us that the empire was very powerful.

It reached its peak in the mid-14th century BC. A ruler named Šuppiluliuma I led them during this time. The empire covered most of Anatolia and parts of northern Syria. They lived near other strong lands like the Assyrians. They sometimes fought with the New Kingdom of Egypt. These conflicts were part of life in the ancient world.

We learn about them through many old objects.

Most of what we know comes from cuneiform texts. These are writings made on clay tablets. Archaeologists found 10,000 of these tablets in a royal archive. They also used a special script called hieroglyphic Luwian. Some people once thought they were the first to use iron. Now, we know they used iron from meteorites.

By the 12th century BC, the empire began to change. Much of their land was taken by the Middle Assyrian Empire. The empire eventually broke into several small, independent states. Some of these small groups lasted until the 8th century BC. Eventually, the Neo-Assyrian Empire took over those lands too. Today, many Hittite treasures are in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

This museum is located in Ankara, Turkey.

The Hittites were a major Indo-European civilization during the Bronze Age.

They lived in north-central Anatolia, a region in modern-day Turkey. This people group helped shape the history of West Asia. They were part of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family.

Their language is one of the oldest historically attested Indo-European languages. It is closely related to the Luwian language. Scholars study these ancient connections to understand how languages changed over time.

Their political history moved through several distinct stages of growth.

Before 1750 BC, they lived in the kingdom of Kussara. Later, they formed the Kanesh or Nesha Kingdom. Around 1650 BC, they established a powerful empire. This empire was centered on the capital city of Hattusa.

A leader named Labarna renamed himself Hattusili I to honor this city. He established Hattusa as the central seat of power for his people.

The Hittite Empire reached its greatest height in the mid-14th century BC.

A ruler named Šuppiluliuma I led the empire during this peak period. At this time, the empire controlled most of Anatolia. It also included parts of northern Syria and Upper Mesopotamia. The empire bordered other major powers like the Hurri-Mitanni and the Assyrians. They were a dominant force in the Near East for several centuries.

Hittite military strength relied on advanced technology and organization.

They made very successful use of chariots in battle. These vehicles allowed them to move quickly across the landscape. Some scholars once believed the Hittites invented iron-smelting. They thought the Hittites held a monopoly on ironworking during the Bronze Age. However, modern research suggests this was not entirely true.

Most iron objects from this era were actually made from meteorites.

We know about the Hittites through many different types of records.

Much of their history comes from cuneiform texts found in their former lands. Cuneiform is a way of writing using wedge-shaped marks on clay. Archaeologists found a royal archive containing 10,000 of these tablets at Hattusa. They also used a script known as hieroglyphic Luwian. These archives included diplomatic and commercial letters from Egypt, Babylonia, and Assyria. These texts helped scholars decipher how ancient people communicated.

The empire eventually faced a period of great change and decline.

By the 12th century BC, the Middle Assyrian Empire annexed much of their territory. Phrygian newcomers also attacked and sacked remaining areas. During the Late Bronze Age collapse, the empire splintered into small, independent states. Some of these small states survived until the 8th century BC. Eventually, the Neo-Assyrian Empire took control of these remaining groups. The Hittite people eventually merged into the populations of the Levant and Mesopotamia.

Today, the study of the Hittites is a major part of archaeology.

Interest in their culture grew after the Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923. Turkish archaeologists like Halet Çambel and Tahsin Özgüç led important studies. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara holds a massive collection of their art.

This museum contains the world's most comprehensive exhibition of Hittite artifacts. These objects help us visualize a civilization that was once a superpower of the ancient world.