Hatay's recorded history opens with a treaty. Between 1620 and 1595 BC Mursili, son of the Hittite king Hattusili, signed an agreement with Yamhad, and from then until his death the region stayed under Hittite control. After he died, Alalakh and Syria passed to Egypt in 1490 BC. When the Hittite empire weakened in the 13th century the Assyrians campaigned into the area and took it, in the south-east and in Hatay alike.
Persia arrived next. From 550 BC the Persian empire gained ground across the peoples of the Middle East, and in 540 BC Antioch was attached to it. That lasted until Alexander crossed Anatolia to the Çukurova and broke the Persian army at Issos, near Dörtyol, in 333 BC; from there he came over the Amanos mountains onto the Amik plain.
