The Hittite Empire was highly developed and prosperous; in the last three years before its collapse, this civilization faced a problem that humanity today is also grappling with.
Around the 13th to 12th centuries BC, civilizations in the Mediterranean region were on the brink of collapse.
The specific causes and timing are still debated by historians.
However, several significant empires in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean indeed disappeared, an event that science refers to as the “Bronze Age Collapse.”
Accordingly, major cities were destroyed, trade relations were disrupted, writing systems were forgotten, and unprecedented death tolls occurred.
In October 2022, researchers proposed in a study that some infectious diseases could be the cause of the collapse of civilizations at that time.
Another study published in the journal Nature in 2023 provided insights into the Hittite Empire.
The existence of the Hittite civilization spanned most of the Anatolian peninsula and northern Middle East from 1650 to 1200 BC.
Uncovering the Causes Through Ancient Trees
The vast Hittite Kingdom existed in the semi-arid region of central Anatolia (Asia Minor), covering present-day Turkey and parts of Syria and Iraq.
Archaeological remains and some ancient texts have revealed that for five centuries, from 1650 to 1200 BC, the Hittite Empire was one of the great powers of the Bronze Age.
At its peak, this kingdom even competed with ancient Egyptian civilization.
This struggle led to a significant battle between King Muwatalli II and Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II around 1274 BC, which took place in Qadesh, present-day southern Syria.
However, during this time, the central administrative system of the Hittite Empire seemed to collapse under a movement that also ravaged kingdoms in Greece, Crete, and the Middle East and weakened the Egyptians.
Several hypotheses have been proposed by historians to explain this issue, suggesting it could stem from an attack by the “Sea Peoples” or marauders emerging from local areas.
Yet, throughout their history, the Hittites had resisted many crises, internal conflicts, invaders, and threats from diseases such as plague…
Researchers examined juniper trees that grew during the time of the Hittite civilization.
These trees were used to construct a wooden structure around 748 BC, specifically a burial chamber for a relative of King Midas of Phrygia discovered in southwestern Ankara (Turkey).
Analysis of the wood from these ancient trees provided historians with information about the climate at the time the Hittite kingdom began to show signs of collapse.
Specifically, the results indicated that from the 13th to the 12th centuries BC, in addition to issues related to epidemics and internal conflicts, the Hittite Empire also faced severe drought and water shortages, leading to the collapse of this civilization.
Warnings for Humanity Today
Today, the world is increasingly affected by climate change, causing devastating disasters such as wildfires, heatwaves, superstorms, floods, and particularly drought issues.
A report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on climate in 2023 warned: “Drought is worsening in the Horn of Africa and southern South America, affecting millions of people.
It is causing widespread food insecurity, with an estimated 1.3 million people in Somalia forced to leave their traditional farming areas to seek food elsewhere.”
Moreover, many countries in Africa are also facing a shortage of clean water, significantly impacting the lives of people, especially children.
A professor of evolutionary biology at Cornell University, USA, stated: “The study of the collapse of the Hittite civilization truly shows many lessons we can learn from history.”
The climate changes that could occur for us in the next century will be far more severe than what the Hittites experienced. And this raises the question: “What is our resilience? How can we be supported and how do we adapt?”
