The Hittites were a group of ancient people who inhabited the land of Hatti. They called their language Nesite and their land Hatti, and referred to themselves as “people of Hatti.” The older Hittites, who were also referred to as Nesians and Nesites, were probably the descendants of a vassal state of the Syrians. The biblical account of Hittite history mostly refers to the Neo-Hittites, but the archaeological record tells us the story of the original Hittites.
Suppiluliumas’ military career
Suppiluliumas’ military tenure with the Hittites lasted from 1450 to 1180 BCE, during the period known as the Old Kingdom. He was a brilliant warrior and statesman, and he led several campaigns against the Mitanni. These campaigns effectively ended the Mitanni kingdom and cemented Hittite rule over Syria.
Suppiluliumas’ military activities were centered around the Mitanni, who controlled eastern Syria. His military tactics included a rear-entry approach and circumventing the Mitanni defenses in northern Syria. His tactics proved successful, and he secured the allegiance of Syrian princelings in the process.
Suppiluliumas’ military actions at Carchemish helped to consolidate Hittite power in northern Syria. He also installed his sons as kings of Aleppo and Carchemish. He also signed a treaty of mutual assistance with Mattiwaza, establishing a Mitannian buffer state to protect the Hittite dominions in northern Syria.
Suppiluliumas’ military actions with the Hittites began during his father’s reign. He had been a close advisor and ally to Tudhaliya, and may have felt a little cheated by the fact that he was subordinated. Ultimately, however, Tudhaliya’s murder paved the way for Suppiluliumas to become king.
In this time and place, the military represented a resource and was a means of gaining access to the traditional resources of the people. Military success was measured in terms of booty captured and tribute paid. Moreover, the military also provided access to the copper mines of Isuwa. The Hittite military resources were valuable and added value to the Hittite economy.
Suppiluliumas’ relationship with Egypt
The relationship between the Hittites and Egypt dates back to approximately three thousand years. The Hittites were a major power in ancient Mesopotamia, but Egypt’s power was far superior to theirs. Pharaoh Thutmose III was an empire builder who expanded Egypt’s borders into Syria. Early in the 14th century B.C., the Hittites formed an alliance with the Egyptians, but soon grew uneasy. Their alliance made Egypt vulnerable to many enemies. As a result, the Hittites became powerful. Suppiluliumas I had a long reign in northern Syria and installed his sons as the kings of Karkemish and Aleppo.
In order to maintain his power, the Hittites had to deal with Egypt’s growing influence in southern Syria. Egypt, whose relationship with Mitanni was fraught with conflict, sought to contain it. The Mitanni were not happy with this, and Suppiluliumas and his son Arnuwanda began a diplomatic and military alliance with Egypt.
In return, Suppiluliumas returned to Syria, besieging Carchemish and making his sons king. This helped to consolidate the Hittite power in northern Syria. In addition, the Suppiluliumas formed a treaty of mutual assistance with Mattiwaza and established a Mitannian buffer state in northern Syria to protect the Hittite kingdom.
The ancient Hittites were also engaged in a power struggle with Egypt, which lasted for over four hundred years. Suppiluliumas’ heirs attempted to restore the old kingdom and make it strong enough to fight the Egyptians. The Hittites owed much of their military success to their mastery of the war chariot.
Suppiluliumas’ alliance with King Jabin of Hazor
The name Jabin is a Hebrew word, and means ‘wise’ or ‘discerner.’ This name is associated with the King of Hazor in the Book of Joshua, Chapter 11:1-14. He was a part of a confederacy against Joshua and responsible for conquest of land in the area. According to the Bible Timeline Chart, he ruled around 1354 BC.
In the first half of his reign, Suppiluliumas campaigned against the Kaskans and seized the city state of Manaziana. Meanwhile, his son Kili-teshub, a descendant of Tushratta, had taken refuge in Hatti and was prepared to aid Shuttarna III in his campaign against the Kaskans. His son was given the throne name Shattiwazza and controlled 600 chariots.
The alliance between the two kingdoms was important in advancing Egypt’s cause against the Syrians. Egypt needed to protect itself and the king of Hazor was in a position to make this happen. The king was in a position to make this happen by hiring an army. King Jabin of Hazor was also an ally of Egypt.
King Jabin of Hazor and the Israelites were at war in the 15th century BC. The Israelites fought against the Canaanite city of Hazor, but they were able to defeat Jabin at the Waters of Merom and burn Hazor. This event occurred around 1400 BC.
Suppiluliumas’ relationship with Assyria
The history of the relationship between the Assyrians and the Suppiluliumas is complicated, but can be summarized in several ways. First, the Suppiluliumas made a treaty with a rival of the Mitanni, Artatama II. This king was known as the ‘king of the Hurri.’ Then, after a series of upheavals in the Mitanni kingdom, the Assyrians invaded the Mitanni and conquered the region.
Assyria was one of the Great Powers during the Late Bronze Age. At the time, it was a major player in the ancient Near East, linking it to the Egyptians, Babylonians, Hittites, and Mitanni.
Another key to understanding the relationship between the two countries is to consider the Hittite conquest of Mitanni. The Mitanni Kingdom expanded from northern Mesopotamia through Anatolia and Turkey. It had alliances with Egypt since the time of Tuthmosis III. In fact, Mitanni King Tushratta married the Egyptian King Amenhotep III and treated his daughter as a lesser wife. This led to a power struggle in the Mitanni capital, Washukanni.
The political instability in Hatti during Suppiluliuma’s reign is documented in the chamber 2 relief. During the reign of Suppiluliuma I, Suppiluliuma destroyed the Hittite city of Tarhutassa, which had once been the political capital of the Hittite Empire. In the meantime, the Sea Peoples had begun pushing southward, creating Philistia and cutting off the Hittite trade routes. As a result, the Hittite king requested help from Ugarit.
The feudal system of Hittite society
The Hittite society lasted around ten thousand years before the Sea Peoples occupied the region and destroyed it. The Hittite kingdom spanned Anatolia and northern Syria. One of its most famous kings, Anitta, centered his empire in Kussara. Its heyday occurred during the sixteenth century BC, when it reached its zenith.
Hittite law codes lay out various punishments for crimes against both individuals and the state. Penalties were based on the severity of the crime. The punishments for major crimes were not equal; some crimes were punishable by death, while others were subject to harsh fines. The Hittite king had the power to pardon certain crimes and punish others.
The Hittite economy was based on agriculture. Among the main crops were emmer wheat and barley. The population was mostly peasants. In addition to farming, they raised livestock such as goats, cattle, and pigs. Water buffalo and donkeys were used for pack animals. Dogs were their best friends. The Hittites wrote in hieroglyphic and cuneiform script.
The Hittite family was patriarchal. A father would give his daughter aqua for marriage, and the husband would pay the bride price. The bride would then be taken away by the husband, whose family would have the right to decide what would happen to her. If a woman became adulterous, the husband had the power to decide her fate.
Rests of Hittite art
The rests of Hittite art depict ancient gods. One such example is a stone sphinx with a double-headed eagle with an animal in each talon and a human in the other, and which can be seen at the ruins of Boghaz Keui. This is one of the peculiarities of Hittite art, which influenced other cultures as far as Europe is concerned. Turkoman princes adopted the double-headed eagle symbol from the Hittite monuments in Kappodokia and brought it to Europe by way of the Crusades.
The Hittite kings were not necessarily able to command their subjects, and they had to rally their communities and nobles around them. Nevertheless, their edicts reflect real leadership. Hittite kings were regarded as “great families” and occupied the highest state offices, including chiefs of bodyguards, courtiers, and wine pourers. The “Great Family” also had a strong military force.
The Hittites were one of the great superpowers of the ancient Middle East during the Late Bronze Age (1200 BCE – 1550 BCE). They controlled a large area of Anatolia and later spread their civilization into northern Syria and southern Lebanon. Their language, known as cuneiform, is one of the oldest languages in the Indo-European family.
As the largest civilizations in the ancient Middle East, the Hittites were able to compete with the others by developing practical political arrangements and consistent laws for their subjects. Their legal system was also more humane than those of many contemporary societies.
