Description
Book SynopsisThe 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 a
Trade ReviewWarriors of Anatolia offers, in its author’s own words, ‘a reliable introduction to Hittite history and civilisation, one which touches on many features of the Hittite world, explores some of them in more depth and proposes a number of new ideas and approaches to longstanding problems .. .’ (p. 3). * Journal of Near Eastern Studies *
Trevor Bryce has done more to present the history of the Hittites than any scholar. His present book is an effort to present a breezably readable version to the interested public. The book should be considered a success as a reliable, readable and affordable introduction to the Hittites for the general reader. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
Trevor Bryce has devoted his scholarly career to reconstructing the civilization of the Hittites of pre-Classical Turkey. In this book he draws on this experience to present an accessible overview of the history and culture of this fascinating ancient people. When the available evidence is scanty or unclear, he invites the reader to consider his or her own solution to historical quandaries. -- Gary Beckman, George C. Cameron Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, University of Michigan, USA
Table of ContentsList of Maps and Figures Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Rediscovering a Lost World Chapter 2: How Do The Hittites Tell Us About Themselves? Chapter 3: The Dawn of the Hittite Era Chapter 4: The Legacy of an Ailing King Chapter 5: ‘Now Bloodshed Has Become Common’ Chapter 6: The Setting for an Empire Chapter 7: Building an Empire Chapter 8: Lion or Pussycat? Chapter 9: From Near Extinction to the Threshold of International Supremacy Chapter 10: The Greatest Kingdom of Them All Chapter 11: Intermediaries of the Gods: The Great Kings of Hatti Chapter 12: King by Default Chapter 13: Health, Hygiene and Healing Chapter 14: Justice and the Commoner Chapter 15: No Sex Please, We’re Hittite Chapter 16: Women, Marriage and Slavery Chapter 17: War with Egypt Chapter 18: All the King’s Horses and All the King’s Men Chapter 19: The Man Who Would Be King Chapter 20: Partners in Power: The Great Queens of Hatti Chapter 21: City of Temples and Bureaucrats: The Royal Capital Chapter 22: An Elite Fraternity: the Club of Royal Brothers Chapter 23: The Empire’s Struggle for Survival Chapter 24: Hatti’s Divine Overlords Chapter 25: Death of an Empire Appendix 1: Rulers of Hatti Appendix 2: Outline of Main Events in Hittite History Notes Select Bibliography Index
