Warriors of Anatolia : A Concise History of the Hittites

The Hittites in the Late Bronze Age became the mightiest military power in the Ancient Near East. Yet their empire was always vulnerable to destruction by enemy forces; their Anatolian homeland occupied a remote region, with no navigable rivers; and they were cut off from the sea. Perhaps most seriously, they suffered chronic under-population and sometimes devastating plague. How, then, can the rise and triumph of this ancient imperium be explained, against seemingly insuperable odds? In his lively and unconventional treatment of one of antiquity’s most mysterious civilizations, whose history disappeared from the records over three thousand years ago, Trevor Bryce sheds fresh light on Hittite warriors as well as on the Hittites’ social, religious and political culture and offers new solutions to many unsolved questions. Revealing them to have been masters of chariot warfare, who almost inflicted disastrous defeat on Rameses II at the Battle of Qadesh (1274 BCE), he shows the Hittites also to have been devout worshippers of a pantheon of storm-gods and many other gods, and masters of a new diplomatic system which bolstered their authority for centuries. Drawing authoritatively both on texts and on ongoing archaeological discoveries, while at the same time offering imaginative reconstructions of the Hittite world, the author argues that while the development of a warrior culture was essential, not only for the Empire’s expansion but for its very survival, this by itself was not enough. The range of skills demanded of the Hittite ruling class went way beyond mere military prowess, while there was much more to the Hittites themselves than just skill in warfare. This engaging volume reveals the Hittites in their full complexity, including the festivals they celebrated; the temples and palaces they built; their customs and superstitions; the crimes they committed; their social hierarchy, from king to slave; and the marriages and pre-nuptial agreements they contracted. It takes the reader on a journey which combines epic grandeur, spectacle and pageantry with an understanding of the intimacies and idiosyncrasies of Hittite daily life. The Hittites In The Late Bronze Age Became The Mightiest Military Power In The Ancient Near East. Yet Their Empire Was Always Vulnerable To Destruction By Enemy Forces; Their Anatolian Homeland Occupied A Remote Region, With No Navigable Rivers; And They Were Cut Off From The Sea. Perhaps Most Seriously, They Suffered Chronic Under-population And Sometimes Devastating Plague. How, Then, Can The Rise And Triumph Of This Ancient Imperium Be Explained, Against Seemingly Insuperable Odds? In His Lively And Unconventional Treatment Of One Of Antiquity's Most Mysterious Civilizations, Whose History Disappeared From The Records Over Three Thousand Years Ago, Trevor Bryce Sheds Fresh Light On Hittite Warriors As Well As On The Hittites' Social, Religious And Political Culture And Offers New Solutions To Many Unsolved Questions. Revealing Them To Have Been Masters Of Chariot Warfare, Who Almost Inflicted Disastrous Defeat On Rameses Ii At The Battle Of Qadesh (1274 Bce), He Shows The Hittites Also To Have Been Devout Worshippers Of A Pantheon Of Storm-gods And Many Other Gods, And Masters Of A New Diplomatic System Which Bolstered Their Authority For Centuries-- Rediscovering A Lost World -- How Do The Hittites Tell Us About Themselves? The Dawn Of The Hittite Era -- The Legacy Of An Ailing King -- Now Bloodshed Has Become Common -- The Setting For An Empire -- Building An Empire -- Lion Or Pussycat? -- From Near Extinction To The Threshold Of International Supremacy -- The Greatest Kingdom Of Them All -- Intermediaries Of The Gods: The Great Kings Of Hatti -- King By Default -- Health, Hygiene And Healing -- Justice And The Commoner. Trevor Bryce. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Author Biography 2 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Maps and Figures 10 Acknowledgements 13 Introduction 14 Chapter 1: Rediscovering a Lost World 20 Chapter 2: How Do The Hittites Tell Us About Themselves? 29 Chapter 3: The Dawn of the Hittite Era 35 Chapter 4: The Legacy of an Ailing King 47 Chapter 5: ‘Now Bloodshed Has Become Common’ 54 Chapter 6: The Setting for an Empire 59 Chapter 7: Building an Empire 70 Chapter 8: Lion or Pussycat? 79 Chapter 9: From Near Extinction to the Threshold of International Supremacy 86 Chapter 10: The Greatest Kingdom of Them All 94 Chapter 11: Intermediaries of the Gods: The Great Kings of Hatti 105 Chapter 12: King by Default 120 Chapter 13: Health, Hygiene and Healing 131 Chapter 14: Justice and the Commoner 140 Chapter 15: No Sex Please, We’re Hittite 149 Chapter 16: Women, Marriage and Slavery 157 Chapter 17: War with Egypt 171 Chapter 18: All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men: The Hittite Military Machine 180 Chapter 19: The Man Who Would Be King 196 Chapter 20: Partners in Power: The Great Queens of Hatti 209 Chapter 21: City of Temples and Bureaucrats: The Royal Capital 215 Chapter 22: An Elite Fraternity: The Club of Royal Brothers 237 Chapter 23: The Empire’s Struggle for Survival 244 Chapter 24: Hatti’s Divine Overlords 253 Chapter 25: Death of an Empire 267 Appendix 1: Rulers of Hatti 281 Appendix 2: Outline of Main Events in Hittite History 283 Notes 286 Bibliography 293 Index 295 The Hittites in the Late Bronze Age became the mightiest military power in the Ancient Near East. Yet their empire was always vulnerable to destruction by enemy forces; their Anatolian homeland occupied a remote region, with no navigable rivers; and they were cut off from the sea. Perhaps most seriously, they suffered chronic underpopulation and sometimes devastating plague. How, then, can the rise and triumph of this ancient imperium be explained, against seemingly insuperable odds? In his lively treatment of one of antiquity's most mysterious civilizations, whose history disappeared from the records more than 3,000 years ago, Trevor Bryce sheds fresh light on Hittite warrior as well as religious and political culture and offers new solutions to many unsolved questions. Revealing them to have been masters of chariot warfare, who almost inflicted disastrous defeat on Rameses II at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE), he shows the Hittites also to have been devout worshippers of a pantheon of storm-gods and masters of a new diplomatic system which bolstered their authority for centuries.