Hittite History
The Hittite kingdom emerged in central Anatolia, in modern Türkiye, during the seventeenth century BCE and grew into an empire controlling much of Anatolia and northern Syria. From their capital at Hattusa, kings governed territories through royal officials and subordinate rulers. Temples, clay-tablet archives and rock reliefs record the empire’s religious and political life.
The imperial state ended in the early twelfth century BCE. Hittite dynastic and religious traditions continued in smaller kingdoms of southeastern Anatolia and northern Syria, often called Syro-Anatolian kingdoms. Their Iron Age monuments belong to a later chapter of this history.
Explore Hittite sites
Explore Hittite sites in Anatolia and northern Syria, from the fortified capital at Hattusa to rock sanctuaries and regional cities.
Daily life
Homes, work, food, festivals and family duties connected Hittite households with the temples and court of Late Bronze Age Anatolia.
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History and society
An introduction to the Hittite kingdom and empire, its rulers, resources, armies, cities, gods and writing, and the kingdoms that followed.