Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire

Book excerpt: This gripping biography documents the life and reign of Hattusili, one of the most famous and well-documented Hittite rulers. Hattusili ruled over the ancient kingdom of Anatolia (modern Turkey) during the 2nd millennium BC and was a political rival and, at the same time, treaty-partner of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses the Great. Trevor Bryce offers a chronological account of Hattusili, charting the rise of the Bronze Age Hittite prince from a sickly childhood to become – by ruthless ambition, an illegal coup and a civil war – the most powerful ruler of the ancient Near East. Incorporating the most up-to-date archaeological material, including the archive of clay tablets and new information about the astonishingly small size of the Hittite capital Hattusa, Bryce provides the reader with a detailed examination of Hattusili's policies and military strategies. Alongside these historical accounts, Bryce weaves in imaginative reconstructions of pivotal moments in the ruler's life, giving you a complete picture of Hattusili's remarkable military skills and impressive political prowess.