CHAPTER 15

No Sex Please,

We’re Hittite

T

his title should not of course be taken too literally.
If it were strictly true, the Hittite kingdom would never
have got going, let alone lasted 500 years. But a number of
sexual practices were strictly forbidden in the Hittite world, and
others permitted only with clear conditions attached. Violations
met with severe punishment.

THE HORROR OF INCEST

Incest was regarded with particular abhorrence, at least by Hatti’s
royal authorities. King Suppiluliuma I makes this perfectly clear in
his treaty with one of his vassal rulers. Provoked by reports of
hanky-panky between closely related family members in the vassal
state, he bans the practice and issues a grim warning:

For Hatti it is an important custom that a brother does not

have sex with his sister or female cousin. It is not permitted.

Whoever commits such an act is put to death. But your land

is barbaric, for there a man regularly has sex with his sister

or cousin. And if on occasion a sister of your wife, or the wife

of a brother, or a female cousin comes to you, give her

something to eat or drink. Both of you eat, drink, and make

merry! But you must not desire to have sex with her. It is not

permitted, and people are put to death as a result of that act.^1