In the 2nd millenium B.C. the Hittites established a big empire that reached from western Anatolia to the border of the Egyptian empire. Their capital Hattusa, about 200km east of Ankara, is a very big area with several monumental buildings. The Lion Gate is an impressive example. The Hittite origin was central Europe. Their language shows very close connections to Latin and some to German [ezzan = essen(D) = to eat(GB), watar = Wasser(D) = water(GB)]. In the 3rd millenium B.C. they must have walked around the Black Sea, passed over the Kaukasus and arrived in Anatolia. They first appear in cuneiform inscriptions of the Assyrians who had several trade centers in Anatolia. From the Assyrians the Hittites took the cuneiform writing, but also developed their own writing, which was used for special (religious) purposes. Many clay tablets with cuneiform inscriptions tell a lot about the life and history of the Hittites. Recent researches tell us that even Troja belonged to the Hittite kings and was not a part of the Greek empire. Mykene was a big rival and for 200 years Troja was in war with Mykene. Around 1200 BC Troja fell together with the big Hittite empire. UNESCO world heritage.