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Hattusas, the capital, was a rocky citadel whose massive walls were punctuated by tremendous gates guarded by stone lions. The first settlement of the site was founded at the end of the third millennium BC. In the nineteenth century BC, the city included an Assyrian merchant colony. From about 1650 to 1200 BC when the Hittite rulers extended their domination over alien populations the city became the capital of the Hittite Empire until its final destruction on the empire's collapse.

The power and extent of the Hittite Empire, the home of which was Asia Minor and Syria, has now revealed by archeology. They ruled as an imperial power from 1900-12000 BC, ever extended their influence to Palestine. Even at the zenith of their empire Under Shubbbiluliuma their power did not extend beyond southern Syria as indicated in Amarna Tablets and Egyptians records of the XIX Dynasty. "Hittite' is thence a geographic rather than a term referring to a race of people.

Similarly the records of the Assyrian Kingdom refer to the western part of Mesopotamia as the 'Hittite Land' ; a similar usage is in I Kings 10-29, "from all the Kings of the Hittites and Kings of Aram"

As with Jerusalem, the site of Hattusas, the capital was chosen for strategic reasons. Its position at the end of a cliff provided excellent natural defenses. Similar to Jerusalem, the gradual expansion of the city created the need for a fortification system. Thus, the city was surrounded with massive walls with watchtowers and well-fortified gates. (The most famous of which are the gates to the upper city the King's Gate, the Sphinx Gate, and Lion's Gate.)

The king and queen were the high priests and priestesses of the sun goddess Arinna (Arinnitti), "Sun goddess of Arinna, my lady, and queen of all countries!" In this state cult her husband, Baal, was revered as the Hittite weather god; an important figure who bestowed kingship, brought victory in war and might represent the nation in its dealing with foreign powers.

The Hittite kingdom was warlike in its nature and its armies subjected the neighboring lands. In about 1600 BC, the Hittite king, Musili I destroyed Babylon, and then ruled by the dynasty of Hammurabi. King Subbiluluma in 1370 BC with his warlike chariots crushed the kingdom of Mitanni, despite overtures of dynastic politics. The Hittite armies pressed on to the borders of Canaan ruled over by the Egyptians. Rameses II, who was called the Great King of Egypt' set out with his army to Palestine and to deal with hated Hittites once and for all: But the ensuing battle did not bring victory for the Egyptians that was hoped for. In 1280 BC, the Hittites and the Egyptians concluded the first nonaggression and mutual defense pact in history.

After the destruction of the Hittite empire their military and cultural tradition lived on with Hittite notables under the Syrians. The fusion of Hittite and Semitic cultures is evidence by Hittite hieroglyphs found on clay tablets in the archaeological sites in the Syrian towns of the Armamaean towns.

Note: Even King Solomon married a Hittite woman "and Hittite, from nations with whom the Lord had forbidden" 1 Kings 11-2.

Learn more about this author, Norman A. Rubin.
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