Slavery in the Aztec Empire

In this episode, we explore slavery in the Aztec Empire, focusing on how it differed from later colonial systems of forced labor. Aztec slavery was generally not hereditary, meaning enslaved status did not automatically pass from parent to child, and individuals could become enslaved through debt, punishment, captivity, or sale. Enslaved people often performed household labor, carried goods, or provided tribute, while war captives could also be reserved for religious sacrifice, reflecting the close relationship between warfare, labor, tribute, and ritual in Aztec society. The episode also considers how this system fit within broader Aztec social stratification, where status, obligation, and power were shaped by conquest and tribute demands. By comparing Aztec slavery with the Spanish encomienda system that followed conquest, we see how different forms of coercion evolved while continuing to exploit Indigenous labor and reinforce inequality.