Anitta, son of Pithana, was a semi-legendary king of the Hittites at Kussara, a city that has yet to be identified.

Anitta reigned in the mid-18th century BC and is mentioned by his descendant Hattusili I, the first Hittite king of Hattusa, in the Anitta text (CTH 1.A, edited in StBoT 18, 1974)[1], the oldest known text in the Hittite language (and the oldest known Indo-European text altogether).

The text encourages speculation that both Anitta and Pithana, were of Hattian origin. The Hittite texts gives a list of cities sacked by Pithana, among which was Nesa (Kanish, Kültepe), which Anitta later made his capital. Also among the city list is Hattusa; Anitta destroyed the city of Hattusa after defeating King Piyusti of Hattusa and laying a curse on the site.

Anitta's name appears on an inscription on a dagger found in Kültepe and also, together with the name of his father Pithana, on various Kültepe texts, as well as in later Hittite tradition.

He also had the title of King of Kuššar and later King of Neša (Kaniš)

Contemporary of Šamši-Adad I of Assyria (~1813~1781)

(Re-?)conquered several cities in his first year, including Hattuša (King Piyušti). In his second year he reached the Sea of Zalpuwa (the Black Sea). Later he defeated Piyušti, king of Hattuša, again. Then, after a siege?, he took the city by storm at night, and left it abandoned and cursed. The rest of the Anitta Chronicle speaks of his other conquests and also of hunting.

Spearhead discovered at Kültepe, proclaiming itself to belong to the palace of Anitta.

The conquests of Pitḫana, and especially of Anitta, his son, seem to have dramatically changed the political face of central Anatolia. Conquering as far as Zalpa, Anitta reversed the fortunes of that important city. The destruction of Hattuša must have at first looked like the removal of an increasingly powerful rival, although that city's fortunes would soon change for the better. In addition to these important conquests, Anitta also proved his superiority over the old power of Purušḫanda. In his testimony, Anitta claims,

The Man of Purušhanda [brought] me as Ahengur-gift one iron throne (and) one iron crook. When I [came] back to Neša, I brought the Man of Purušhanda with me. When he goes to the inner chamber, he will sit before me on the right.

While the Man of Purušhanda is clearly still an important figure, his submission to the ruler of Kuššara is perfectly clear. The centers of power in Anatolia were changing. Purušhanda fades altogether as a significant power, but Zalpa would prove to still have some fight left in it.