Early Buildings and Trade
During ancient times, Anatolia was closely connected with other advanced cultures like those in Mesopotamia. Pottery from the Ubaid period (a prehistoric time in Mesopotamia) started to appear in Anatolia, showing early contact between these regions.
In western Anatolia, in the lower levels of Troy (from the 3rd millennium BC), archaeologists found buildings called megarons. These had a rectangular hall and a porch at one end. Later, this style became common in Greek temples Private Bulgaria Holidays.
The Hittites
Who Were the Hittites?
The Hittites were a people who spoke an Indo-European language. It’s not exactly clear where they came from, but many believe they migrated from Europe into Anatolia early in the 2nd millennium BC, or even earlier.
They eventually took control over the local people and created a powerful kingdom.
The Hittite Old Kingdom (1650–1400 BC)
One of the earliest kings, Hattushili I, founded the capital city Hattusha.
He expanded the kingdom by defeating Aleppo in Syria. This was the first time the Hittites claimed land outside Anatolia.
His successor, Murshili I, led an army down the Euphrates River and destroyed Babylon, ending the First Babylonian Dynasty started by Hammurabi Anatolia and the Bible.
After these victories, the kingdom had internal problems:
The Hittites lost Syria to the rising Mitanni kingdom.
Some parts of Anatolia also broke away from Hittite control.
Later, a king named Telepinu didn’t try to regain lost lands but made important laws about royal succession and how rulers should behave. These rules lasted through the rest of the Hittite Empire.
Near the end of the Old Kingdom, Thutmose III of Egypt pushed the Mitanni out of Syria and eastward across the Euphrates.
The Hittite Empire (New Kingdom, 1400–1180 BC)
This period started with many wars and changing alliances. The Hittites, Mitanni, and Egyptians all fought to control the region. These battles marked the beginning of the Hittite Empire’s most powerful era.
