Hittite Empire the Bronze Age Titans-1600–1178 BCE

Hittite Empire the Bronze Age Titans-1600–1178 BCE

Timeline of Key Events: 

1600 BCE: Hittite Kingdom founded in Hattusa.  

1274 BCE: Battle of Kadesh against Egypt.  

1259 BCE: Treaty of Kadesh with Pharaoh Ramses II.  

1200 BCE: Bronze Age Collapse begins; droughts and invasions weaken the empire.  

1178 BCE: Hattusa sacked; Hittite Empire dissolves.  


Facts About the Hittite Empire: 

1. Pioneered iron smelting, creating superior weapons and tools.  

2. Authored the earliest known peace treaty (Treaty of Kadesh) with Egypt.  

3. Used cuneiform script but developed a hieroglyphic system for public monuments.  

4. Worshiped a storm god, Tarhunt, central to their cosmology.  


Benefits of the Hittite Empire:

1. Legal Innovation: Emphasis on fines over corporal punishment.  

2. Military Superiority: Lightweight chariots with three-man crews dominated battles.  

3. Diplomatic Networks: Alliances with Mitanni and Babylon stabilized trade routes.  

4. Cultural Fusion: Blended indigenous Anatolian and foreign traditions.  


Losses of the Hittite Empire:

1. Overextended territories led to administrative strain.  

2. Dependency on tin and copper imports disrupted during trade collapses.  

3. Succession disputes triggered political instability.  

4. Invasion by the Sea Peoples and Assyrians fragmented the empire.  


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