Overview. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian (modern-day Turkey) people who formed an empire between 1600-1180 BCE. The Hittites manufactured advanced iron goods , ruled over their kingdom through government officials with independent authority over various branches of government, and worshipped storm gods.
What did the Hittites invent?
The major innovation the Hittites made with the chariot was with the wheels. Chariot wheels differed depending on the civilization. Most made wheels with eight spokes, though some made ten-spoke wheels while others made four-spoke wheels.
What were the Hittites strengths?
Two crucial advantages were their incredibly flexible core infantry and their superior training . Experts have noted that the Hittite infantry was likely the most maneuverable infantry of the time. The infantry usually employed a massive, heavy, and powerful phalanx formation...
What did the Hittites do in the Bible?
According to the Book of Judges 1:26, when the Israelites captured Bethel, they allowed one man to escape , and he went to the “land of the Hittites” where he founded the settlement of Luz. In King Solomon's era the Hittites are depicted in the Old Testament along with Syria as among his powerful neighbors.
What were the Hittites the first people to do?
The Hittites were the first group of people to develop and use iron . The Hittite empire grew in the region that is modern-day Turkey. Hattusilis was the Hittite king and priest who was driven to build an empire and bring together the several tribes in the region.
Do Hittites still exist?
Fortunately, Hittite tablets were baked for contemporary use or little would have survived. By 1912 the count had reached some 10,000 pieces and virtually all of them had been sent to the Staatliche Museen in Berlin, where they still remain .
Who did the Hittites worship?
Arinniti – sun goddess , possibly another name for the sun goddess of Arinna. In the late 14th century BC, King Mursili II was particularly devoted to Arinniti. Ellel – god of the sky, derived from the god Ellil. He is invoked in state treaties as a protector of oaths.
What race were Hittites?
The Hittites were an ancient group of Indo-Europeans who moved into Asian Minor and formed an empire at Hattusa in Anatolia (modern Turkey) around 1600 BCE. The Hittite Empire reached great heights during the mid-1300s BCE, when it spread across Asia Minor, into the northern Levant and Upper Mesopotamia.
Who destroyed the Hittite Empire?
The Hittite Empire reached its peak under the reign of King Suppiluliuma I (c. 1344-1322 BCE) and his son Mursilli II (c. 1321-1295 BCE) after which it declined and, after repeated attacks by the Sea Peoples and the Kaska tribe, fell to the Assyrians .
What advantages did the Hittites have in battle?
It cause the growth and dominance of the Hittite empire but when other empires gained the knowledge of making steel weapons, the Hittites were not only defeated but destroyed. Their primary advantages were the use of Iron over bronze for weapons and tools and the use of Heavy Chariots in battle .
What happened to Hittites?
After c. 1180 BC, during the Late Bronze Age collapse , the Hittites splintered into several independent Syro-Hittite states, some of which survived until the eighth century BC before succumbing to the Neo-Assyrian Empire. ... Hittites did not use smelted iron, but rather meteorites.
Who are the descendants of Hittites?
The Hittites were an ancient people that lived in the Anatolia region in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. The Bible says the Hittites were descendants of Ham, one of Noah's sons .
Where did the Hittites originate from?
Probably originating from the area beyond the Black Sea , the Hittites first occupied central Anatolia, making their capital at Hattusa (modern Boğazköy). Early kings of the Hittite Old Kingdom, such as Hattusilis I (reigned c. 1650–c.
What language did the Hittites speak?
Hittite language, most important of the extinct Indo-European languages of ancient Anatolia. Hittite was closely related to Carian, Luwian, Lydian, Lycian, and Palaic (see also Anatolian languages).
Were the Trojans Greek or Hittite?
If you read the Iliad, you would think you had the answer—the Trojans were basically Greeks . Rather like Star Trek, heroes from the opposing sides in Homer's poem can carry on conversations without any translators. In the Iliad the Trojans have temples to Apollo and Athena, who were also Greek gods.
