Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Aztec Empire

1427 CE 1526 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 mx_aztec_emp / MxAztec

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General Description

The Basin or Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly corresponding to modern-day Mexico City. Here, we are interested in the phase of its prehistory known as the Late Postclassic period, when the Aztecs or Mexica rose to power (c. 1427-1526 CE). The Aztec Empire was born from the "Triple Alliance" between the city-states (altepetl) of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan, who agreed to collaborate on campaign of territorial expansion and share the resulting tribute and tax payments. ^[1] Within a century, the three cities came to control a significant portion of Northern Mesoamerica, the main exception being the West, which, despite some military successes on the part of the Triple Alliance early on, largely remained under the control of the Tarascans. ^[2]
As the empire grew, so did the power of Tenochtitlan, which became the de-facto administrative capital, whose ruler came to hold the title huey tlatoani (“high king”). Tenochtitlan’s power was strongest over the empire’s central provinces, where the Aztecs ruled through governors, judges, tax collectors and other officials that they appointed themselves. For the "outer" provinces, the Aztecs limited themselves to targeting major centres, where, again, they appointed their governors and administrative officials. Finally, the Aztecs secured their power over "frontier" provinces by guaranteeing military protection from external foes, in exchange for "gifts" of soldiers and prestige goods. ^[3]
By the time of Spanish conquest in the 1520s, Tenochtitlan likely housed between 150,000 and 250,000 people, ^[4] perhaps even 3,000. ^[5]

[1]: (Smith and Sergheraert 2012: 449-451) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/XC9E2B7Q.

[2]: (Evans 2012: 125) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/AN5IUQ7X.

[3]: (Smith and Sergheraert 2012: 455-457) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/XC9E2B7Q.

[4]: (Carballo 2019: pers. comm. to E. Cioni and G. Nazzaro)

[5]: (De Rioja 2017: 220) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/GC3T83JD.

General Variables

Identity and Location

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

Language

1 Language Genus

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

2 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

Transport Infrastructure

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

Information / Postal System

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Shield

1 Limb Protection

1 Helmet

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

7 Power Transition

Instability Events

6 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp) was in:
(1427 CE 1519 CE)	Basin of Mexico

Home NGA: Basin of Mexico

General Variables

Identity and Location Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Temporal Bounds Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[1427 CE ➜ 1526 CE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Language Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Language Genus	uncoded Undecided Expert	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Religion Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[150,000 to 300,000] people	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Polity Territory	28,070 km²	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Polity Population	[3,000,000 to 4,000,000] people	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	5	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Military Level	[6 to 7]	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Administrative Level	6	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Professions Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Examination System	Present Uncertain	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Examination System	Absent Uncertain	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Law Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Judge	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Court	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Special-purpose Sites Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Writing System Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Script	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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History	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Fiction	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Calendar	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Information / Money Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Postal System Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Measurement System Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moat	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Fortified Camp	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Earth Rampart	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Ditch	Absent Inferred	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Long Wall	absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Military use of Metals Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Iron	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Copper	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Bronze	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Projectiles Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sling	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Javelin	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Atlatl	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Handheld weapons Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Sword	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Spear	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Polearm	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Dagger	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Animals used in warfare Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Elephant	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Donkey	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Dog	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Camel	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Armor Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Shield	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Limb Protection	Absent	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Helmet	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Breastplate	Present	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Naval technology Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Disputed	1427 CE 1526 CE
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Human Sacrifice Aztec Empire (mx_aztec_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More