The Hittite kingdom is conventionally divided into three periods, the Old Hittite Kingdom (ca.

1750–1500 BCE), the Middle Hittite Kingdom (ca.

1500–1430 BCE) and the New Hittite Kingdom (the Hittite Empire proper, ca.

1430–1180 BCE).The earliest known member of a Hittite speaking dynasty, Pithana, is based at the city of Kussara.

In the 18th century BCE, Anitta, his son and successor, makes the Hittite speaking city of Neša into one of his capitals and adopts the Hittite language for his inscriptions there.

However, Kussara remains the dynastic capital for about a century until Labarna II adopts Hattusa as the dynastic seat, probably taking the throne name of Hattusili, "man of Hattusa", at that time.The Old Kingdom, centered at Hattusa, peakd during the 16th century BCE.

The kingdom even managed to sack Babylon at one point, but makes no attempt to govern there, enabling the Kassites to rise to prominence and rule for over 400 years.