Written By Hero

 Little was known of the Hittite Empire until modern archaeological excavations uncovered its ruins in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The early people were as Shinohara described, except for certain details that would have made the story lack had they not been included. But only annul retentive people, such as myself, really care about that those little details. Don’t get me started.

Background

The Hittite people were likely to be a mutt-bred people, of Indo-Europeans, or the ancestors of the Greeks and/or Germans, and the native Hattic speaking peoples of Asia Minor, which is otherwise known as Anatolia, referencing the large peninsula of Turkey or the Near East. "Anatolia" comes from the Greek word anatole, which means "east." The Hittites refer to this as "the Land of Hatti", and to themselves as "Hattian" as a race. This is made evident in the story, because it is mentioned that Tito’s family is of a Hatti tribe and one of trade or rank at that.

All great civilizations of this area were influenced greatly by Mesopotamia. The Hittites absorbed such things as government, which was based on the old monarchies of the surrounding Asia Minor, the writing system of cuneiform, and art and literature forms. Their religious system- which heavily influenced law, kingship, art, society, science, poetry, and language-was a mix of Indo-European, native Hattian, and Mesopotamian beliefs, practices and deities.

Ishtar

For example, Ishtar was a Mesopotamian goddess, who was also worshiped in Babylonia, Persia, Mitanni, Assyria, and was known throughout the time period as one of the most influential goddesses. She was not only the goddess of war, but was a goddess of love, sexuality, fertility, knowledge, and healing as well as warfare. She was identified with Venus, the planet not the goddess, the Golden Star or the Morning Star.

When the Golden Star rose in the sky, it was the only time Yuuri could return home, and this only occurred once every year. So naturally, when Yuuri raises the iron sword in book 3, the reflection off it is yellow in the light of dawn, and everyone believes that it is the Golden Star. However, Venus has already left the night sky that year. As the sun rises they see Yuuri on the wall, her sword in the air, reflecting the golden rays, and creating the Golden Star. From then on everyone believes Yuuri to be Ishtar. Yuuri, with her strength, integrity, and intelligence, really fits the mold for being this goddess, if you think about. She’s really a wonderful role model for young girls.

The principle deity of the Hittites, however, was not Ishtar. It was the Weather-god of Heaven, Telepinu. The King would be addressed as the "beloved of the weather-god" in his official title. Plus, several Kings and princes took the names of gods, including Kail’s elder brother, 2nd Prince Royce Telepinu.

History

The Hittite Empire lasted from 2000-1200 B.C. Their capital was Hattusas or Hattusa, about 100 miles east of modern day Ankara (Angora). Their Great Imperial Time lasted from 1450-1200 BC, and Yuuri landed smack-dab in the middle of it.  Yuuri was transported in 14th century B.C. If my information serves me, and Tutankhamun reined from 1352-1344, than the exact year of Yuuri’s arrival in Anatolia was 1343 B.C. most likely. Tut died little over a year after Yuuri arrived.  The empire was at its climax and was thriving with one military victory after another.

Their many victories included the sacking of Syria, all the way to Babylonia. As it is told, Nakia is a Babylonian Princess and this could be why she wants her son on the Anatolian throne. Perhaps she wants revenge for seeing her city sacked. Nakia hated being a concubine of the Hittite Emperor. She even tried to buy out Urhi to gain her freedom. When that didn’t work, she became pregnant with Judah. The Hittites also were responsible for the collapse of Babylonia altogether, giving her further passion for at least out-smarting her enemies. It was Mursili I, Kail’s namesake, who sacked and razed Babylonia in 1595 BC, ending Hammurabi’s Amorite Dynasty, which had lasted two hundred years. However, the Hittites withdrew from Babylonian occupation shortly after, leaving it in ruin. Book 14 or 15 told of Nakia being awarded to the harem of her enemy, whom she despised. When she arrived--and I’m presuming, because I haven’t read it in a long time--she was told something that made her want to run away by the Emperor Suppiluliuma’s second wife, Kail’s mother, Empress Henti. It might have had something to do with her becoming one of the Emperor’s many mistresses (Cursed double standardizing!). It’s even expressed that it was Nakia who later murdered her.

Unknown by most people, the headwaters for three major rivers of the Near East (the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Jordan) start in Turkey. If Kail had known this, well, lets just say everyone has their price. Today, there is a conflict between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, pertaining to development on these rivers. This is known as the Southeast Anatolian Project.

Most wars were fought over water; however, the Hittites wanted to control trade routes along the Euphrates River that extended into Mesopotamia.  Thus, the conflict was with Mitanni and not just the Dark Prince’s bloodlust. However, once Mitanni was conquered, The Dark Prince Mattiwaza fled with Nadia (his consort (concubine if you prefer) also Nakia’s younger sister) to Babylon.  He gets to come back and play for our team, as the Lord-King Mattiwaza of New Mitanni. Nadia is a little like Nakia in the beginning, but not in the end; Nadia’s actually kind of cool and truly loves Matti.

The Hittite Empire fell or probably fell in 1200 B.C. either from invaders from the North or from the Philistines, who also tried to take Egypt from Ramses III, but were unsuccessful. Ill Bani is said to have had dreams in which he sees the fall of this great Empire.  That suffered through war, disease, treason, and the systematic betrayal and murder of its royalty.

Egypt

The Hittites stopped Egypt from expanding much into Syria. When the story begins, Tutankhamun is Pharaoh of Egypt, Horemheb is a general in the Egyptian army, and Ramses is a captain or a lieutenant. Ankhesenamun, Tut’s queen and half sister, is the child of Nefertiti and Akhenaton; Tut was a child of Akhenaton by a lesser queen. Akhenaton was the first monotheist in recorded history, holding the Aton (the physical identity of the sun) in only regard. However, in the message Ankhesenamun sends to the Hittite court, it reads they have no son. By nineteen, Tutankhamun was already a father. The mummified remains of two female fetuses were recovered in his tomb. However, it is undetermined whether Ankhesenamun was the mother or not. Seeing as Egyptian rule passed through the females of the family and the Egyptian queen’s only option was to marry her mother’s father, she decided to import a Pharaoh. Zannanza being assassinated gave her no option but to marry her grandfather, Ay, Nefertiti’s father.

Also, Nefertiti was once a Mitannian Princess. Full elder sister of the Dark Prince, who (before she left Mitanni) was her lover. At this time, her name was Tatukia or Tatucia. I have information proving this as false and that she was in fact Egyptian, Ay being her father. Though Nefertiti plays a large part in the manga story line, the facts are as thus. Nefertiti retired from court life in the later years of Akhenaton’s reign. There is no information that says weather she died or simply went away, but she disappears from all history. Her famous bust was found in a workshop in Akhenaton’s capital city, Akhetaton, near modern day Tell el-Amarna. Tutankhamun, who was not a follower of Aton, would later return capital power to Thebes, after his father’s death.

Akhenaton became somewhat vengeful towards all other gods. He had their images destroyed and their temples closed down. After his death his images took the brunt of a widespread hatred among the priests, who had been denied their rights, wealth, and privilege.

Had Nefertiti not been in the manga, it would have lacked something awful. While Yuuri was in Egypt, one of her main objectives was to meet the elder sister of the Dark Prince of Mitanni. I think it was to the god Aton that Nefertiti was going to sacrifice Ramses in book 20-something. 

In book 9 Ramses and Yuuri make their way back to Anatolia in a rush to stop the war between their empires. They rush only because they are told war has begun by Arabian Bedouins. Bedouins, North African Berbers, and Iranian Bakhtiaris are the only three surviving nomad peoples in the region of North Africa and Southwest Asia (Yes, that’s ONE region!). Perhaps it is the Bedouins that Yuuri recruits to save Ramses in later events. I can give you no verifications. I just thought I’d throw that in.

Weapons

What in part made the Hittites so alarmingly successful in battle were several things. They had a very-well trained army and new weapons and tactics were introduced. The weapons were innovative and soldiers knew how to use them. Mass attacks in double horse-drawn chariots and foot soldiers with battle-axes and short scimitars massacred the enemy. (Here are a few of those details I spoke of earlier) In the manga, soldiers are mostly seen with Roman-ish short swords, spears, and short bows and arrows. Also (and this one is big) it is said that Yuuri was entrusted the knowledge of iron working by Talos, Tito’s father. However, iron weapons didn’t become predominant until after Anatolia’s fall.

Iron was used more for more ceremonial and ritual objects, not for tools and weapons. Iron ore was more abundant than copper or tin needed in bronze manufacturing.  Iron weapons were introduced in mass in the 1200's B.C.  They spread throughout the Near East with iron tools, but bronze was still in use. Perhaps it was only high-ranking soldiers that carried iron weapons.  Lucifer was identified as Hittite because he had an iron sword. It’s not impossible that officers would be highly protected or bare a greater weapon, horse, and chariot to show their importance. It is still seen today in the difference of military dress.  A little change in stripe number shows higher rank.  Perhaps iron weapons were used in the same way.  But that’s just my theory; don’t take it as gospel.

Region

There’s little wonder why most Hittite leaders wanted to expand into greener areas. Turkey has very interesting climate. In actuality, Turkey has two climates. The coastline is Mediterranean, which is obvious, because the Mediterranean and the Black Seas border Turkey. Mediterranean climate is basically Southern California weather (hot, dry, summers and rainy winters). In some higher elevated areas, like the Anatolian Plateau (at an average of between 3,000 and 5,000 feet), it snows. There is also a great deal of woodland cover throughout this climate area.

The interior of Turkey, where trees are replaced by semiarid grasslands, is Mid-latitude steppe climate and a mix of high mountains and elevated plateaus. Basically its one giant pasture land perfect for dry-crops and cattle, goats, and sheep grazing. We see mostly this climate type in the manga. In this highland zone, the nomadic people of Turkey seasonally move their livestock up and down the hills as the year changes. Meaning, in summer, say a sheep-farmer would take his flock up the hills or mountains to greener high country. In the fall or winter, he would then move them down into a valley or lowland.

Turkey is also one of the most seismically active countries in the world, because of the tectonic movement of three different tectonic plates in the area. Turkey and Iran are actually on the Eurasian plate, where the Arabian and African plates collide with it. Some geologists identify smaller separate plates on which Turkey and Greece lay. Most all other countries of the Arabian Peninsula lay on the Arabian plate. We have yet to encounter severe earthquakes in the manga. Wouldn’t that be fun?
 
 

  References:

  *Perry, Marvin; Western Civilization, Ideas, Politics, and Society; Volume 1: To 1789; Sixth Edition; Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston; 2000.

  *Lehmann, Johannes; the Hittites, People of a Thousand Gods; the Viking Press, New York; 1977.

  *Rowntree, Les; Diversity Amid Globalization, World Regions, Environment, Development; Prentice Hall, New Jersey; 2000