Many sites belonging to the Hittites have been identified. The most important of these is undoubtedly Şapinuva. Research indicates that the Hittites established a deep-rooted civilization in the lands of Ortaköy. It has been understood that Şapinuva served as the capital of the Hittites for a period. After the fall of the Hittite State, Anatolia experienced a 300-year dark age.
Around 800 BC, the Phrygians, referred to as “Muşki” in Assyrian sources, established a state in the region within the bend of the Kızılırmak River, with their capital at Gordion. After the Phrygians disappeared from the historical stage, the lands of Ortaköy came under the control of the Medes. Following the fall of the Medes, the lands of Ortaköy came under the control of the Persians. Today, in Building B at the Şapinuva excavation site, a tombstone can be seen in the right corner upon entering through the door. Examinations have revealed that this is a Persian tomb.
After the Persians, Anatolia was swiftly conquered by Alexander the Great. The Ortaköy region remained under the rule of Alexander's Empire for a short period. The Kingdom of Pontus, one of the kingdoms established in Northern Anatolia after the fall of Alexander's Empire, took control of the lands including Ortaköy. The historical remains found in İncesu Canyon are among the artifacts that have survived from the Pontus Kingdom era.
Research indicates that around 276 BC, the region was captured by the Galatians, who left significant traces after the Hittites and Phrygians. The Galatians were one of the kingdoms established in Anatolia after the fall of Alexander's Empire. The Kingdom of Pontus, the Kingdom of Galatia, and the Kingdom of Cappadocia ruled around the same time and had conflicts with each other. As a result of these wars, the regions of Çorum, Amasya, and Ortaköy changed hands from time to time. Our region was also under the rule of the Kingdom of Cappadocia for a period.
