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The Hittites. The Hittite Empire was an ancient Anatolian power that dominated modern day Turkey and northern Syria between 1600 BCE and 1180 BCE. They established a formidable kingdom with its capital at Hattusa, perched high in the rugged central Anatolian plateau. The Hittites are crucial to history because they were pioneers in the manufacture and use of iron goods, giving them a significant technological edge over their bronze wielding neighbors. They also developed a highly sophisticated legal system that focused heavily on financial compensation rather than the brutal physical punishments favored by other ancient societies.
The empire reached its absolute peak during the 14th century BCE, famously clashing with the Egyptian Empire at the monumental Battle of Kadesh. This epic conflict eventually led to one of the oldest surviving written peace treaties in human history. The Hittite state eventually collapsed during the mysterious Late Bronze Age collapse, fracturing into smaller independent Neo Hittite city states. Their massive capital was mysteriously abandoned and burned, marking the definitive end of their unified dominance in the region.