The Aztec Ball Game: Sport, Ritual, and Politics

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Mesoamerican ball game, ōllamaliztli, as it was played in Tenochtitlan and across the Aztec Empire. They discuss the rules and equipment, the symbolic meaning of the game tied to cosmic struggle, and the political uses of the game by rulers like Moctezuma Xocoyotzin. The episode covers the two main variants — the hip-ball game and the hand-ball game — and describes the tlachtli courts, including the famous one at the Templo Mayor. They touch on the mix of sport, ritual, and gambling, and how the game served as a stage for diplomacy and even warfare, as in the xōchiyaōyōtl. Listeners will learn about the rubber ball, the protective gear, and the often-misunderstood question of human sacrifice in connection with the game. The episode also draws on accounts from Bernal Díaz del Castillo and the Florentine Codex to bring the game to life. #Ōllamaliztli #Mesoamerica #AztecBallGame #Tenochtitlan #TemploMayor #Moctezuma #BernalDíaz #FlorentineCodex #Nahuatl #Tlachtli #RubberBall #HumanSacrifice #Xōchiyaōyōtl #AztecSport #History #FexingoHistory #MesoamericanCulture #AztecEmpire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo