From the Pontic Mountains between the Anatolian Steppe and the Black Sea, the Kaskians (Kashka, Kaška, Kaska) are a fearsome people who swoop down on nearby settlements in raiding parties and guerrilla attacks. Many Hittite resources are spent fighting the Kaška.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
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Some of the Bronze Age cities of Anatolia and Mesopotamia accumulate wealth as trade becomes lucrative and roads open up. One ancient city in particular, Alaca Höyük, has to build strong foundations against attacks of the wild mountain raiders.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
While the Kaška aren't well organized, their attack and conquer tactics strike lethal blows to towns of wealth and industry. Sometimes, if the Kaska lack funds or food they hire themselves out as mercenaries.
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Most of the time they're the nemesis of the Hittite Empire (c. 1600 - 1180 BCE). The Kaskians descend from the rugged mountains to batter the foundation of civilizations. Both Assyrians and Hittites try to quell their ravages.
From c. 20th century BCE the Hittites are a warrior people on the rise to power. They manufacture the first iron goods, and steel by c. 1800 BCE. Chariots give them an advantage in fighting. They manage vast lands through independent government officials.
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The people worship storm gods. The Hittite weather god, Tarḫunna, aka the Weather god of Heaven or the Lord of the Land of Hatti, is strongly influenced by storm god Teshub of the Hurrians.
Teshub is memorable because he was born out of his Kumarbi's split skull. The god Kumarbi bit off the testicles of Anu, the Sky God in a battle for supremacy, becoming impregnated with Teshub. His skull has to be split so Teshub can be born.
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The Hittites are among the greatest powers to emerge from the ancient world. The onslaught of the Kaskians is a constant drain of resources as new barriers as towns need rescue and resurrection. The Sphinx gate is built at the embattled town in the 14th century BCE.
Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure
The attacks of the Kaska deplete military might against the Egyptians, another foe of the Bronze Age Hittites. Fortresses, towers and barriers must be built, cities regained and destruction reconstructed.
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Trade roads need defense. Powerful forces battle for supremacy. The Kaska are opportunists. As mercenaries, Kaskians get a bad reputation for starting on one side and switching to the other.
Warrior horse and chariot people, the Hittites aren't easily intimidated. Nonetheless, one of the reasons they don't spread further north, to the coast of the Black Sea, is because of the ferocity of the mountain people.
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The Hittites and Kaskians launch repeated attacks on one another from about 1600 to about 1193 BC. In their off-time, the Kaskians spend the days weaving linen and raising pigs.
They're also wheat-growers. One year, when their crop is eaten by locusts they're noted to join forces with another group and go to war. The Kaska people don't have a written language and build no cities.
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The Kaska mountain tribes ally with Mushki and Urumu (Urumean) people. finally come together under a leader, Pihhuniya of Tipiya c.1370 BCE. The Kaskians raze and sack Hattusa.
Suppiluliuma II is the last King of the Hittites, ruling from c. 1207 - 1178 BCE. In c. 1190, the Kaskians sack Hattusa again.
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Finally Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser I defeats the Kaskian forces. During the ensuing Iron Age, the Kaska vanish from history.
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