HITTITES
About 2000 B.C. the Indo-European- speaking Hittites appeared in
northern Asia Minor, a region rich in iron. In 1650 B.C. the Hittites began building a powerful empire. They extended their control in Asia Minor, seized northern Syria from the Egyptians, and expanded into northern
Mesopotamia, where they conquered the Babylonians. Hittite culture was greatly influenced by contacts with the Babylonians. While they were less advanced than the peoples of Mesopotamia, they had learned to extract
iron from ore - they were the first to make tools and weapons of iron. The Hittites heated iron ore and pounded out impurities before plunging it into cold water. The tools and weapons they made with iron
were harder and had sharper edges than those made out of bronze or copper. Because iron was plentiful, the Hittites were able to arm more people at less expense.
The Hittites tried to keep this valuable technology secret. But as their empire collapsed about 1200
B.C., Hittite ironsmiths migrated to serve customers elsewhere. The new knowledge thus spread across Asia, Africa, and Europe, ushering in the Iron Age.
The Assyrians began expanding their power into the Fertile Crescent around 1100 B.C. The Hittite Empire fell in 1200 B.C., but had survived for 450 years. Click here to learn more about the Hittites!
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