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Life and Society in the Hittite World

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Trevor Bryce is a highly regarded specialist in Hittite history. His scholarly articles focus on problems of Hittite history, mainly matters affecting the western half of the Anatolian peninsula -- Ahhiyawa and the Lycians. The first of his two recent books published by Oxford (of which this is the second), entitled "The Kingdom of the Hittites", shows the fruit of his close engagement with the best and latest research. In this second book, the subject of which is not quite as much his specialty, Bryce has written a lively and accurate account of what life was like in the ancient Hittite world (c. 1650-1150 BC). The chapter headings indicate his approach, which personalizes the subject matter. Instead of chapter headings like "Law", "Religion", "Art", "literature", etc., Bryce focuses on the person who operates in these spheres: scribes, priests, judges, farmers, craftsmen. In so doing he allows even old hands in his discipline to appreciate the information they already possess as seen in a new light, and makes comprehending the subject easier for first-time students. Oxford University Press has not cluttered the page with footnotes, but ample documentation is available in unabtrusive endnotes. For a hardback edition the rice too is reasonable, chiefly because the press did not indulge in glossy plates or maps. Readers who feel the need for more graphics should also buy J. G. Macqueen's book "The Hittites" which has a plethora of plates. Highly recommended for readers from high school through retirement home.

This is an extensive consideration of different social aspects of Hittite society. It covers every basic niche--political leadership, merchants, farmers, priests, marriage, slavery, etc. There is also a very interesting essay at the end that looks at the relationship between Greece and the Near East, and consider the Homeric cycle as an orientalized work. Endnote aren't very helpful, and Bryce occasionally used phrases that annoy me. "More or less, by and large, greater or lesser, etc."--pick one and stop waffling about your position. Never mind me; this is a great book.

This book is one part of what is essentially a duology. Trevor Bryce wrote two books on the Hittites, one dealing with their history and the other with their culture and society. This book is the latter. If you want a book that will tell you how the Hittites fit into the Near Eastern world then this isn't the book for you. You want Bryce's other book. This one is solely a cultural history, although it does include a king list at the beginning. It is surprising how much information there is available on Hittite culture considering that everything we know is based on tablets unearthed from archives. Not surprisingly there are many gaps, but this book lays out the basic map of what it was like in Hittite times. Instead of dividing it into general sections like Religion and Religion Bryce has focused each chapter on a particular career such as that of a scribe or a priest. This gives it a much clearer focus and lets the reader see clearly how that segment of the population lived. It is strongly recommended to read the companion piece as well since a full understanding of this people requires both angles.

Trevor Bryce is one the most important authors on hittitology. This book is the perfect companion to his "The kingdom of the Hittites" 2005 new edition. A pleasure for those who are interested on Hittites. For a technical review, please address to Bryn Mawr revision (both books).

I read this book after reading The Hittite Kingdom, Trevor Bryce. This book is an essential companion book to the study of Hittite history. The book brings alive the individuals who built one of the greatest kingdoms of their time. The book can stand on it's own, but makes far more sense when read with the political history. The Hittites are amazing people and it's a little scary that so few people ever heard of them. Perhaps that is our lesson for the present. Sue Coon

one of the best books for the life of the ancient Hittite civilization.this book like his previous work of; "The Kingdom of the Hittites" used the latest researches about the subject.