Aztecs

In this episode, we examine the history, culture, and enduring legacy of the Aztec civilization, a powerful Mesoamerican society centered in central Mexico from 1300 to 1521. The discussion explains how the term “Aztec” refers to multiple Nahuatl-speaking peoples, especially the Mexica, who built the Triple Alliance and transformed the island city of Tenochtitlan into the heart of an empire. We explore Aztec social hierarchy, religious life, major deities such as Huitzilopochtli, and agricultural innovations like chinampas that supported urban growth. The episode also traces the dramatic Spanish conquest under Hernán Cortés, the devastation of colonial rule and European diseases, and the lasting influence of Aztec culture on modern Mexican language, cuisine, identity, and national symbolism.