Part 11/20:
The tragic fall of Teotihuacan—once the largest city in the Americas—illustrates this pattern. An enormous earthquake seemingly caused a mass exodus, hinting at underlying social or religious upheaval. The society that built such monumental structures appears drained, its spiritual and political centers abandoned without much resistance, signifying their civilization’s final decline.
The Aztec Empire: A Heavy-Metal Society of Conquest and Ritual
Fast forward to the 14th and 15th centuries, and the Aztec Empire—or the “Mashika”—emerged as a dominant force in central Mexico. Originating from nomadic tribes, the Aztecs arrived in the swampy region of Lake Texcoco, where they built Tenochitlán—one of the greatest cities of its time, rivaling the size of Constantinople.