Which peoples lived in Anatolia’s interior after the Hittite Empire fell?

Following the collapse of the Hittite Empire around 1200 BCE, the interior of Anatolia underwent significant political and demographic shifts. The primary groups that inhabited the region during this period included:

• Phrygians: Occupying most of western and central Anatolia, the Phrygians emerged as a major power, eventually forming a centrally organized kingdom with its capital at Gordium. By the 8th century BCE, their influence was so extensive that they were considered the political heirs to the Hittite Empire.12
• Luwians: Located in the southeast, the Luwians were ethnically and culturally related to the Hittites. They organized into various small "Neo-Hittite" states, such as Carchemish, Malatya, Tabal, and Que, which maintained Hittite traditions for several centuries after the empire's fall.13
• Kaska: Inhabiting the northeastern regions, the Kaska were a tribal people who likely participated in the dismemberment of the Hittite Empire and later expanded into the area between the Kızıl River and the upper Euphrates River.12

These groups adapted to the existing cultural landscape, leading to the rise of numerous local powers and petty chieftains across the Anatolian interior.1