Impact of a militaristic society: a study on the Hittites

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to better understand the relationship between the military, the economy, and the societal collapse of the Hittites, a militaristic society. The Hittite empire suffered from many problems near the end of its existence, but this research supports the idea that the military's demand for subsistence goods was too great for the economy to provide. By analyzing historical documentation, many aspects of the Hittite culture can be examined, such as trade networks as well as military campaign reports. The study also looks at the archaeological excavations of Hattusa, the Hittite capital, and Kaman-Kalehoyuk, a supply city that would restock the campaigning military. By examining these cities and historical documentation, better understanding of the economy and military will be attained for militaristic societies; and in the case of the Hittites, their relationship to the societal collapse is determined to be strong.