A people of uncertain origin, who settled in Anatolia in the third millenium BC. During the second millenium they became very powerful and expansionist. They were able to conquer Syria and to shift their borders as far as Babylonia. During the thirteenth century BC their empire began to break up, according to some scholars because of the arrival of the Sea Peoples. The remains of the empire in Syria were conquered by Assyria in the eighth century BC. Egypt was confronted by the Hittites on more than one occasion. The oldest mention of the people is in the annals of Tuthmosis III. They appear infrequently until the Amarna period, but the Amarna letters contain correspondence with King Suppiluliuma. Shortly afterwards, Egypt and the Hittites fought several battles for the city of Kadesh. The most famous confrontation with Egypt took place at the beginning of the reign of Ramesses II. This resulted in the Battle of Kadesh (year 5 of Ramesses II). Both Ramesses and the Hittite king Muwatallis claimed victory, but eventually both signed a peace treaty.