Rise & Fall

The Hittites were an Anatolian people who played an important role in establishing first a kingdom in Kussara (before 1750 BC), then the Kanesh or Nesha kingdom (c. 1750–1650 BC), and next an empire centered on Hattusa in north-central Anatolia (around 1650 BC). This empire reached its height during the mid-14th century BC under Šuppiluliuma I, when it encompassed an area that included most of Anatolia as well as parts of the northern Levant and Upper Mesopotamia.

Between the 15th and 13th centuries BC, the Empire of Hattusa (the Hittite Empire) came into conflict with the New Kingdom of Egypt, the Middle Assyrian Empire and the empire of Mitanni for control of the Near East. 

In this podcast Dr Mark Weeden (University College London) provides an introduction to the history of the Hittites and the Hittite Empire. Dr Weeden reflects upon Hittite culture and politics, their rivalry with Egypt, their pioneering use of international treaties and legal codification, and discusses how depopulation of the Hittite heartland, climate change and earthquakes contributed to the end of their empire.

1. Who were the Hittites? What were their origins?
2. What do we know about the development of the Old Kingdom?
3. Sources.
4. Can you tell me about the reach of the Old Kingdom?
5. Can you tell me about the end of the Old Kingdom and the beginning of the Middle Kingdom?
6. Can you tell us about the Hittite New Kingdom/Hittite Empire period?
7. What was the significance of the Battle of Kadesh? What does it tell us about the Hittite Empire and relations with Egypt?
8. What was the greatest extent of the New Kingdom?
9. What brought about the New Kingdom’s downfall?
10. To what extent were the Hittites pioneers of international diplomacy and legal codification?
11. Political authority within this early form of constitutional monarchy.
12. Does this federal model of treaty based relationships surrounding a constitutional monarchy survive the Hittites?
13. What do we know about Anatolian hieroglyphs? What do they tell us about Anatolian culture and identity?
14. Can you tell us about Hittite religion and mythology? What role did it have in Hittite society? Crossovers with Greek mythology.
15. Where can students of this history get access to Hittite literature and Hittite historical writing?

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