Description
By William Wright. Uncover the forgotten world of one of the ancient Near East’s great civilizations in this classic exploration of the mysterious Hittite Empire.
In The Empire of the Hittites, scholar and missionary William Wright presents a fascinating early study of the Hittites, a powerful civilization that emerged as one of the great powers of the Late Bronze Age. Written during the exciting early years of archaeological discovery in the Near East, this pioneering work helped bring the newly rediscovered Hittites to the attention of a wider reading public.
Drawing upon inscriptions, monuments, biblical references, and archaeological discoveries, Wright attempts to reconstruct the history and character of the Hittite people from the evidence then available. Readers encounter ancient cities, monumental sculptures, mysterious inscriptions, and the traces of a powerful kingdom that extended its influence across Anatolia and Syria. The book examines the Hittites’ relations with neighboring peoples, including their conflicts with ancient Egypt, while giving particular attention to the monuments and inscriptions through which their forgotten civilization was gradually coming to light.
Written in a clear and engaging style, The Empire of the Hittites combines historical scholarship with the excitement of discovery, capturing a moment when scholars were only beginning to recover the history of this long-forgotten people. More than a historical survey, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the early study of a civilization whose language, history, and monuments would become far better understood in the decades that followed.
This carefully restored edition revives a landmark work of early Hittite scholarship for a new generation of readers. Ideal for students, history enthusiasts, and lovers of ancient civilizations, The Empire of the Hittites remains a fascinating account of the nineteenth-century rediscovery of one of the great powers of the ancient Near East.
About the author: William Wright (1837–1899) was a British missionary and scholar noted for his studies of the ancient Near East and his early work on the Hittites. He wrote on biblical lands, ancient monuments, and Near Eastern history and played an important role in bringing the newly rediscovered Hittite civilization to the attention of nineteenth-century readers.
