Anitta

Anitta had an early Anatolian ruler of Kaniš - Nesa around 1730 BC (middle chronology ), which is partly seen as the first Hittite Great King.

Credentials

The most important testimony is true of the so-called Anitta text ( CTH 1) from the 16th century BC, which was drafted in althetthitischer language and as the oldest of Hittite text at all is true. A recent copy dates from the 14th century BC, plus three fragments of a copy from the 13th century BC

Also of importance is a dagger that was found in a palace in the upper city of Kaniš - Nesa. His inscription " Palace of King Anita " ( É.GAL A- ni - ta ru -ba -im), has the palace and the bronze weapon as a possession of the ruler, which confirms that Anitta was actually king of this city.

Documents from the Old Assyrian trading colonies ( karum ) in Kültepe and alisar Höyük also call the king Anitta, also the rabi simmiltim Peruwa Kammaliya. His predecessor was after disclosure of such documents Pitḫana King, as its rabi simmiltim turn Anitta is specified.

Life

Anitta was the son of King Pitḫana of Kussara, a regional ruler in Anatolia. Pitḫana had conquered the city of Nesa, which was the most important Anatolian trading town at the time. After Anitta had taken control of Nesa from his father, he made several victorious campaigns of conquest. First he drew against Zalpa whose king Uḫna aforetime the idol of the deity of Kaniš abducted had even SIUS Summis called "the Anitta our divinity ." Anitta defeated King Ḫuzziya of Zalpa and led the idol back to Kaniš. He also defeated King Piyušti of Hatti and besieged Hattusa, which he made ​​equal to the ground and sowed tares also. The city goddess Ḫalmašuit he led by Nesa, where he donated her a temple. The destruction of Hattusa can be dated from archaeological reasons around the year 1728 BC. Hattusa was apparently settled soon, in spite of the curse, uttered the Anitta. " In the night I took the city by force, in their place I planted weeds Who king after me, and Hattusa resettled that you want the weather god of the sky meet. "

Then he fixed his capital Nesa, built several temples and established a zoo. Then he moved with 1400 warriors and 40 chariots against Šalatiwara that can be west of the upper Sakarya localized. After the submission of this kingdom came to meet the king of Purušḫanda, who gave him as gifts an iron scepter and an iron throne. This gesture is sometimes interpreted as submission of the king of Purušḫanda under Anitta, but is also discussed that he recognized with these gifts Anitta as his equal. This event is likely to have led to Anitta the title " Great King " took the first king of Kaniš.

The ancient Assyrian records mention along with Anitta still Peruwa Kammaliya as his rabi simmiltim, so this probably can be considered as a son and Crown Prince Anittas. But evidently followed the Anitta not Peruwa but Zuzzu as Great King of Kaniš. Since this also is called King of Alaḫzina, it is possible that he conquered Kaniš and Anitta or his son defeated.

Relation to the Hittites

Anitta is often regarded as the first Hittite Great King. It should be noted that he resided in Kaniš - Nesa and not - as the later Hittite kings - in Hattusa, which he had completely destroyed. It is noteworthy that Hattusili I., who moved the royal residence to Hattusa, was called " Man of Kussara ", so the city where Anittas father Pitḫana prevailed so it is expected that these are among his ancestors. The fact that the deeds of Anitta in the 16th century, probably at the time of Hattusili I., were written, supports the adoption of a " Kussara Dynasty ".

As the Hittites nešili their language itself, nešumnili called and the like, it is assumed that Nesa part of the original territory of the Hittites.

The name Anitta can not be explained etymologically, the name of his father Pitḫana belongs to a pre-Indo- speech layer, since the volume group / th / does not occur in Hittite Erbwortschatz.