It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Hitite Civilization - The People that History Forgot (Excluded?)

page: 1
3

log in

join
share:

posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 04:41 AM
link   
Why isn't the Hitite Civilization duly noted throughout history?

They were on par with the Egyptians and around at the same time as them and a power to be reckoned with re: the battle of Kadesh.

How is it that a civilization such as the Hitites can be disregarded and excluded from the history books?

Hitites

Hitite HomePage

Battle of Kadesh


It is known today that from 1900 B.C. to about 1200 B.C. they were one of the great powers of the Middle East, rivaling Babylonia, Assyria and Egypt—and superior to all three in statesmanship, lawgiving and warfare. They ruled Asia Minor, into which they had come as Indo-European invaders, and forged a commonwealth of city-states out of the tribes and kingdoms they found there. Little of their art or literature remains, but on thousands of clay tablets and on rocks and stone-faced hills they left inscriptions—sculptures of their gods, their kings and their people, and writings in cuneiform and hieroglyphics. Unlike some of their neighbors, the Hittites were not cruel. They were, however, excellent strategists, tacticians and warriors. They were superb horsemen, inventors of the most formidable war machine of their time—the light, two-wheeled battle chariot. Under the relentless attack of the Hittite infantry and chariot-drawn legions, even the power of Egypt broke.


With all these glories the Hittites, when their empire at last declined, should have been remembered through the ages. Egypt was. So was Babylonia. But by a freak of history, the Hittites were forgotten for 30 centuries—from the end of their power around 1200 B.C. until their rediscovery in the last century.
The People that History Forgot




[edit on 27-8-2009 by Thurisaz]



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 05:03 AM
link   
groovy stuff man...i always dig hearing about lost or ancient civilizations. i'd be curious to know more. I mean, if they were the billy bad asses on their block, what brought them down. famine? plague? trip through the stargate?



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 05:17 AM
link   
Not to burst your bubble... but I've known about the Hitites for a very long time. From what I remember Ramses II actually had a huge war with them and they lost a good chunk of land.

That land happens to be where Israel is now.... hmmm....



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 06:12 AM
link   
Pfft... Well it sure is news to me!


What you aren't taught in school...

Oh and Tentickles, your picture still makes me shudder


[edit on 8/27/09 by MoothyKnight]



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 06:34 AM
link   
The Hittites definitely deserve their place in history. My understanding is they were one of the first, if not The first, to make weapons from iron which gave them a considerable military advantage against the bronze age weapons of their adversaries - most notably the Egyptians.

Correction: they made carbon steel weapons

[edit on 27/8/2009 by Pilgrum]



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 06:50 AM
link   
I was just wondering if Warrenb just wrote a thread on this civilization.

2nd line.



posted on Aug, 27 2009 @ 07:06 AM
link   
You ask a very good question. I think it may have as much to do
with laziness on the part of the educational regimes to change
textbooks to include them as a major player in the ancient middle
east. There may also be some racial bias to keep the israelites
and egyptians looking more important. To include the hittites kinda
ruins their neat triangle of egypt/israel/sumeria.
I agree totally that they should be brought out into mainstream
history. Were it not for Kadesh they would've for certain.



posted on Aug, 28 2009 @ 12:42 AM
link   
What amazes me is that they were the first ancient civilisation to master horsemanship and use chariots.



The earliest spoke-wheeled chariots date to ca. 2000 BC and their usage peaked around 1300 BC (see Battle of Kadesh). Chariots ceased to have military importance in the 4th century BC. wiki




The Hittite army of this period was built round a strong and large chariot corps. This chariot corps was supported by many different types of foot units unlike the Egyptian army. Hittite Allies were formed round a core of Hittite units. It is believed that the chariots would carry three men. One driver with shield, a fighter and a runner. Quadesh the Hititites




The ancient writing is also distinct.

Cuneiform tablet with a hieroglyph seal stamp at the center

Truly fascinating civilisation!



Because of its great antiquity, Hittite and its close relative Luwian provided invaluable aid to the study of Indo-European linguistics. In particular, they were the only languages with evidence to support the laryngeal theory, which profoundly changed the understanding of Proto-Indo-European, the supposed mother tongue of all Indo-European languages.
Ancient Scripts





[edit on 28-8-2009 by Thurisaz]



posted on Aug, 28 2009 @ 12:57 AM
link   
reply to post by Asktheanimals
 


That is a good possible explanation. However, considering the peace treaty between the Egyptians & the Hitites, it doesnt seem plausible that Egypt would conspire to destroy them.

A Hitite Princess even married the Pharoah and that established considerable peace to the region. If my memory serves me correct? ... the period of peace in the region was about 100 years and that was an amazing accomplishment.

Egypt and the Hitites were both destroyed. Egypt had plenty of evidence remaining to support their existence but the Hitites did not.

The Romans (cough) benefited greatly from Egypt

hmmm




reply to post by Pilgrum
 



Yes that is correct. That is a major accomplishment for an ancient civilisation...it is very strange that the Hitites do not get the recognition for it which leads me to ponder why?


[edit on 28-8-2009 by Thurisaz]



posted on Aug, 28 2009 @ 01:04 AM
link   
 




 



posted on Aug, 28 2009 @ 01:05 AM
link   
Well they have a thing called selective memory and the one that gets remembered is the one with the big pyramids and gold treasure. If they didn't leave something behind to really wow someone they were forgotten.



posted on Aug, 28 2009 @ 01:17 AM
link   
reply to post by JBA2848
 


Bit hard to make a pyramid disappear!

As for monolithic structures, the Hitites had their own and they were a wealthy civ.



The link above will give you some idea of the structures.



posted on Aug, 29 2009 @ 01:06 AM
link   
If there is any active exclusion of Hittite culture and achievements from mainstream taught history then it's a fairly recent thing. I first heard about them in early highschool history classes and that was quite a long time ago before even JFK becoming president.

There's no getting away from the fact that they were a very important influence in the development of that part of the world. Their relatively short reign compared to other cultures is a bit of a mystery though. Perhaps they became complacent in their newfound wealth and superior technology (making steel) and became rich pickings for someone hungry enough to have a go at the prize. That same scenario has been played out many times in history and will again.







 
3

log in

join