[Little Bill]

Around the time of the Sea Peoples, there was a massive migration around 1025 BC +/- and the Hittites went south, overwhelmed from the North and the West.

[blam]

"Their empire was at its greatest from 1600-1200 BC."

The tree rings have recorded worldwide catastrophic events at 1628BC (I believe the date for the Exodus, Santorini) and 1159BC. The Hittites appear to have thrived between these two catastrophies.