Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire

This gripping biography documents the life and reign of Hattusili, one of the most famous and well-documented Hittite rulers.

Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire takes us to the ancient kingdom of Anatolia (modern Turkey) during the 2nd millennium BC, where Hattusili reigned. He was both a political rival and 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 – through 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.