Hittite sites

Matching philology to archaeology is a difficult and ongoing task, and so far, only a handful of sites are identified with their ancient name with certainty.

After Hattusa was made the Hittite capital, the area encompassed by the bend of the Halys River (which they called the Marassantiya) was considered the core of the empire, and some Hittite laws make a distinction between "this side of the river" and "that side of the river".

To the south of the core territory was the land of Kizzuwatna in the area of the Taurus Mountains.

To the west, the confederacies of Arzawa and Assuwa, the second of which in particular may not have indicated a contiguous geographic area.

After the incorporation or association of Arzawa and Mitanni (under Suppiluliuma I), the Hittite sphere of influence under Mursili II bordered on the "Hayasa-Azzi" to the east, on the "Ahhiyawa" and the newly forming Assuwa league to the west, on Egypt-controlled Canaan to the south, and on Assyria to the south-east.

The Hittite Empire at its greatest extent under Suppiluliuma I (c.1350–1322 BC) and Mursili II (c.1321–1295 BC) showing cities and towns.