Warriors of Anatolia: A Concise History of the Hittites

Trevor Bryce sheds light on the Hittites, their warriors, social, religious, and political culture, and offers new solutions to unsolved questions. He reveals them to have been masters of chariot warfare, worshippers of storm-gods, and masters of a new diplomatic system. The Hittites were not just warriors but also had a complex society with festivals, temples, customs, superstitions, crimes, social hierarchy, and marriages. Bryce takes the reader on a journey of epic grandeur, spectacle, and pageantry while also understanding the intimacies and idiosyncrasies of Hittite daily life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Trevor Bryce's captivating exploration of one of antiquity's most enigmatic civilizations, whose history vanished from the annals over 3,000 years ago, sheds new light on the Hittites' warrior culture, social, religious, and political customs, and offers novel solutions to numerous unresolved mysteries. He demonstrates that the Hittites were skilled chariot warriors who nearly inflicted a catastrophic defeat on Rameses II at the Battle of Qadesh in 1274 BCE. Additionally, he highlights the Hittites' devotion to a pantheon of storm gods and numerous other deities and their mastery of a novel diplomatic system that reinforced their authority for centuries. Drawing on both texts and ongoing archaeological discoveries, Bryce presents imaginative reconstructions of the Hittite world while providing authoritative insights. He argues that while the development of a warrior culture was crucial for the Empire's expansion and survival, it was not sufficient. The Hittite ruling class required a diverse range of skills beyond mere military prowess, and their identity extended far beyond their prowess in warfare. This captivating volume unveils the Hittites in their multifaceted complexity, encompassing their festivals, temples, palaces, customs, superstitions, crimes, social hierarchy, and marriages and pre-nuptial agreements. It takes the reader on a journey that blends epic grandeur, spectacle, and pageantry with a profound understanding of the Hittites' daily lives and intimate intricacies.

Weight: 392g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350348851