Four Things You Might Not Know About the Aztecs

Four Things You Might Not Know About the Aztecs

      There's a lot to be said about the civilizations of the Western hemisphere before Columbus showed up and decided that the natives would make good slaves.  Unfortunately there is a great deal about some of them which we may never learn due to a lack of evidence to inform us.  One such culture that comes to mind is the mound-building civilization which arose in what's now the United States.  However there are some which are recent enough, with extensive enough evidence, that we can get a pretty good idea of them.  Yet even then there can often be things we don't learn about in school, or simply have never heard.  With that in mind, here are four things that you might not know about one of the most powerful Meso-American civilizations: the Aztecs.

From swamp island to powerhouse city, Tenochtitlan was the vibrant Aztec capital.

1. Aztec Elites Practiced Ritual Cannibalism

     Actually this might be the least surprising entry on this list.  The Aztecs are well remembered for large scale human sacrifices to appease the gods.  It's not that much of a stretch to imagine they might also have participated in things such as cannibalism.  What's notable is that this isn't just stories the Spanish told to justify their conquest - we have documented evidence of such things occurring.  Bones have been found at the Sacred Grounds of Tenochtitlan which bear the marks of butchering and prolonged exposure to heat.  Archaeologist Gabino Lopez Arenas has studied the bones and concluded that the victims were decapitated, dismembered, butchered and eaten.  It's also something that only the elites of Aztec society participated in for special events, so humans weren't part of a balanced Aztec diet.  You can read more in this story at ancient-origins.net.

2. The Aztecs Were Incredibly Adaptable

     Part of the success the Aztecs enjoyed was due to creative thinking and incredible adaptability to their environment.  According to tradition the Aztecs began their civilization in the as-yet unidentified land of Aztlan, which became barren due to prolonged drought.  Other peoples were scared of them and refused to let them in, but eventually the Culhua allowed them to take some land that nobody would really want.  Somehow, the story goes, the Aztecs thrived anyhow but one of their gods engineered a debacle involving a trick marriage of the Culhua chief's daughter, human sacrifice and some rather gruesome wedding attire and the Aztecs got kicked out.  

     Beyond this legend, however, the Aztecs did in fact settle in a swampy area encircled by rocky mountains.  They are said to have settled there because it served and important defensive purpose - the Aztecs were weak at the beginning, it seems.  Aztec ingenuity created three bridges to the island through Lake Texcoco, as well as using mud from the lake bed to create fertile gardens.  With wildly varying geography the Aztecs modified their architecture to suit a given environment.  It was through this adaptability that they managed to turn a swampy island into a major power center of Meso-America.  (Source: https://bmssancientcivilizations.wikispaces.com/Aztecs)

3. Aztec Armies Were Massive and Dynamic

      Often times we hear about the vast sizes of armies in ancient battles, tens of thousands of men battling for glory and their cause or nation. These usually center around Western civilizations such as the Greeks or Romans, but the Aztecs had much the same mentality.  As the Spartans did, the Aztecs trained boys from the age of eight in preparation for becoming warriors.  By seventeen they were enlisted into the king's army and sought to prove themselves by capturing prisoners - who would probably end up as sacrifices to the Aztec gods.  In the military adaptability was on display on a daily basis - the Aztec forces wore cloaks soaked in salt water which stiffened them, acting as a kind of protection in battle.

     What's more impressive is that, according to this source a large unit in the Aztec army consisted of around 8,000 men.  Major battles could see up to 25 such units in the field for the Aztecs.  A quick calculation shows the Aztecs could field a force of 200,000 men.  Whether these numbers are completely accurate, the Aztecs relied on military force to expand their influence and military culture was an important part of Aztec society.

4. The Aztec Empire Was Still Growing When Cortes Arrived

     So why did the military powerhouse of the region, able to field such a huge force, fall to a small number of Spaniards?  There's already been evidence that disease and native allies aided the Spanish cause.  The Aztecs allowed their conquered subjects to maintain distinct cultural identities so long as tribute was offered and order maintained.  Prior to the Spanish arrival the Aztec Empire had recently expanded its territory a good deal under Emperor Ahuitzotl. Because of this the Empire was consolidating power over the new territories when Cortes moved inland, and newly subject peoples were many.  These people might have been happy to join forces with the Spanish against the hated conquerors; a large amount of land would have been difficult to maintain order over, especially if they joined  forces with a new and determined enemy.  For more details and some introduction to the last Aztec Emperor, go to this entry at aztec-history.com.

     This is part of a collaborative series on Meso-American civilizations.  Further entries on the Maya and Inca will be re-blogged here to expand on this article.  Stay tuned for updates.  

Was there anything surprising about this list?  Disagree with it?  Have more surprising facts about the Aztecs?  Leave a comment!