The Market of Tlatelolco: Tenochtitlan's Economic Heart

When the Spanish first entered Tenochtitlan, they were stunned not just by the city's size, but by its central market at Tlatelolco. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vast tianguis, where everything from jadeite to slaves, cacao to quetzal feathers changed hands. They discuss how the market was organized by the pochteca guilds, how it ran like clockwork under the oversight of Tlacxitlan judges, and how its existence challenged Spanish notions of civilization. Along the way, they touch on the market's role in the siege, where it finally fell silent. Specifics include the use of cacao beans as currency, the long-distance trade routes stretching to the Gulf and Pacific, and the famous description from Bernal Díaz del Castillo. This episode avoids the well-trodden ground of politics and warfare to focus on the daily economic engine that made Tenochtitlan the greatest city of its time. #Tlatelolco #Pochteca #Tianguis #AztecMarket #Cacao #QuetzalFeathers #Tenochtitlan #BernalDiaz #Tlacxitlan #Jadeite #SlaveTrade #FlorentineCodex #Nahuatl #Mesoamerica #TradeRoutes #Obsidian #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo