What military advantages helped the Hittites establish an empire in Asia Minor?
2 Answers
One advantage was the early implementation of iron ( steel ) weapons.
Explanation:
The Hittites were the first empire to use iron weapons. The steel weapons were so superior to the bronze age weapons used by their rivals that a relatively small population from what is know central Turkey was able to dominate the world for a short period of time.
The Hittites were cruel to the people that they they conquered. They practiced total warfare. A small population even with superior weapons needed also to utilize terror to dominate the conquered populations.
When the secret of making steel weapons was no longer the sole procession of the Hittites the Hittites were defeated. The Hittites were so hated that their capital was razed to the ground. Most records of the Hittites were erased and destroyed.
In the late 1800s the common belief was that the Hittites had never existed and that the Hebrew Bible's references to them were evidence of the mythical nature of the Hebrew Bible. Many people still believe in the mythical nature of the Hebrew Bible even though the historical evidence for the existence of the Hittites has been proven.
The invention of steel weapons was both the power and the curse of the Hittite empire. It cause the growth and dominance of the Hittite empire but when other empires gained the knowledge of making steel weapons, the Hittites were not only defeated but destroyed.
Their primary advantages were the use of Iron over bronze for weapons and tools and the use of Heavy Chariots in battle.
Explanation:
The Hittites were an important tribe in what is modern day Turkey and down to what is modern day Israel. It lasted from about 1600 BCE to about 1200 BCE.
Bronze (an alloy of Copper and Tin) was in common use in the Middle East at the time. It was easily made and was easily tooled, suitable for weapons and tools. Iron was more difficult to extract because it required a higher furnace temperature. Iron was harder that bronze and could damage bronze weapons in combat. Iron was not yet Steel which is an alloy of Iron. Steel making was not well understood at the the time and large scale steel production did not happen until the 1900s CE.
The Hittites use 3 man Chariots in battle. One man to drive and 2 others to use bows or spears. This gave them a distinct advantage of mobility against other armies which were more large masses of men. The Hittites would have used groups of massed infantry as well.
The Hittites created and held their Empire by continually subjugating their enemies. This suppression required a large logistical network and a large army. The Hittites were eventually unable to maintain this effort and disappeared from history.
