Hittites
Origins
Indo-European
Migrations from Black Sea homeland
Chariot technology
Hittite Tribesmen
settle in Asia Minor (Anatolia, Turkey) –3M
Loose tribal confederation
Other
non-Hittites in the area
Early Period
-1900>-1650 Unification and
sedentarization of IE Hittite tribes
chieftain
Anittas, c 1850 BC, was prominent in the domination of central
Anatolia
Hatti = name for region and capital from which came the name Hittite.
Old Kingdom
17th
Century
Rise of dynastic kingship over a tribal
confederation
Labarna, c1680-1650 [Bryce,
66-72]
first
king
extended
domination to the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.
Hattusilis I c1650-1620 [Bryce, 72-87,
88-89]
conquered Hattusas and made it the
capital
campaigns in N
Syria
c1623, siege of Urshu
(Warsuwa) {1623} [Bryce, 77-78; AANE 73]
read passage,
77-78
indecisive war with
Aleppo
Arzawa campaign
Mursilis, c1620-1590 [Bryce,
101-105]
Continues Hittite
expansion outside Anatolia
c1597, Conquest
of Aleppo (Yamkhad)
raided the
Hurrians in Syria
looted the
Amorite capital Babylon in 1595 [Bryce 102-105; AANE
73]
Murdered in
palace coup, Hittites collapse
Intermediate
Period, 1590-1400
16th
century
The assassination of Mursilis
civil war and
near anarchy during much of the 16th century BC.
The western and
southern coasts were lost in rebellions.
Barbarians from
the Black Sea mountains
fortifying
Hattusas.
The Hurrians
regained control of areas in the east and south.
New powers arise in
Mesopotamia
Kassites
Mittani
Assyrians
Telpinus, c1525-1500, briefly restored central
authority and established a strengthened hereditary
monarchy.
15th
century
new Hittite
kingdom consolidated its hold over much of Asia Minor.
Ambitions in
Syria were blocked by Egypt, to which tribute was paid.
Thutmoses III of Egypt and Mitanni
struggle for control of Syria
mid -15C
Decline of Egyptian military power after
Thutmoses III
Rise of Mitanni under Saushtatar
I
Sack of
Assur
Conquest of N
Syria
Alliance with
Kadesh
Domination of N
Syria
Alliance with
Egypt (daughters of Mitanni in pharaoh’s harem)
Hittite New
Kingdom, c. 1400-1200
Rise of Mitanni in
Syria
Tudhaliya I/II, 1400-1380 [Bryce,
131-154]
Restores power in
W Anatolia
Arzawa campaign [Bryce, 135-137; AANE 79]
Mudduwatta
campaigns [Bryce, 140-149; AANE 79]
Suppiluliuma I, 1344-1322 [Bryce,
168-205]
Seizes the throne
in a coup
took advantage of
Egypt's weakness in the time of Akhenaton, advanced in
Syria
1339, Defeat of
Mitanni, sack capital of Wassuganni
Sattiwaza
established as vassal in rump state
Overthrown by coup
c1335, Reestablished by Hittites at battle of Irrite [Bryce, 199-200;
AANE 75]
rise of Assyria into vacuum in northern Mesopotamia
conquest of
northern Syria
except Carchemish
conquest of
Qadesh
alliance with
Ugarit (sea power)
rise of the
Habiru of Amurru
become independent of Egypt under Abdi-Asirta and his son
Aziru
switch side to Hittites
crisis in
Egypt
offer of Tutankhamun’s wife to marry son of Suppiluliuma [Bryce
193-199]
siege and
conquest of Carchemish by storm [Bryce, 192]
Hittites now
control all of northern Syria
Mursili II {1321-1295} [Bryce,
206-240]
Age of
consolidation
Subdues Kaska
tribes (repeated raids)
Conquers western
Anatolia [AANE 76]
Arzawa conquered; siege of Astarpa [Bryce, 210-211; AANE
76]
Read quotes on pp. 210-211
Seha River Land [212-213
Achaean
contacts
Second Kaska
campaign {1316-1315} [Bryce, 234-235; AANE 77]
Rebellion in
Syria subdued {1314}
Renewed Egyptian
intervention
Plague, palace
coup (step-mother = Babylonian princess), stroke
Muwatalli II {1295-1272} [Bryce, 240-267]
Rise of
19th Dynasty
Horemheb, Seti I
campaign in Syria
Battle of
Qadesh, 1275 [Bryce, 255-262; AANE 77]
War continues for
another decade
Weak rule by Urhi-Tesub
{1272-1267} [Bryce, 268-291]
Young and
sick
Egypt makes minor
advances in Syria
Assyrians arise
in northern Mesopotamia
Fall of Hittite ally kingdom of Hanigalbat (Mittani successor)
[Bryce, 280-284; AANE 78]
Coup by brother
Hattusili
Hattusili III {1267-1237} [Bryce,
292-325]
Rules by
diplomacy
Treaty with
Ramses of Egypt {1259} [Bryce, 302-309]
Hittite control over most of Syria was confirmed
Daughter marries
Ramses
Occupied with
revolt of Piyamaradu in SW Anatolia
Tudhaliya IV {1237-1209}
[Bryce, 326-360]
Lukka
wars
Rise of Ahhiyawa
(Achaeans)
Ally with west Anatolian vassals of Hittites
Raid west Anatolian coast line
Tudhaliya
campaigns and restores power
Milawata (Miletos)
Wilusa (Wilion/Ilium = Troy)
Competition for
control of trade in E Mediterranean
Capture of
Cyprus with Ugaritic fleet
Assyria
wars
Assyrians use
fall of Mitanni to advance into NW Mesopotamia
Tukulti-Ninurtu plans to cross the river
War in Nihriya (mts. N of Mesopotamia)
Hittite allies/vassals
Hittites come to assist
1225, Assyrian victory at the battle of
Nihriya
Assyrian raids
across the Euphrates
1223, Assyrians turn attention to conquest of Babylon
Suppiluliuma II {1207-1200} [Bryce,
361-381]
last recorded
king
Campaigns in the
West
Naval campaign to
Cyprus
Sack of
Hattusa, c. 1200 BC
was looted and burned, probably by Gaska mountain
tribes
Possible
indications of internal rebellion
barbarian
invasions and new waves of Indo-Europeans (Phrygians, Greeks, etc.).
The fall of
Troy
Neo-Hittites
Some Hittites
elites reestablished themselves in northern Syria
where they ruled
over several Hurrian-Aramaean city-states
Absorbed by Arameans and by the Assyrians in the 9th century
Hittites mentioned in the Bible