Warlords of Ancient Mexico: How the Mayans and Aztecs Ruled for More Than a Thousand Years

This is an older history of the period and there are some updated interpretations to be read. Recommend you don't stop here and explore more history of this period.

Peter Tsouras, best known for his excellent alternative history books, gives us a work on a very neglected subject: warfare in pre-Columbian America.The author gives the reader a brief overview of the strategic picture in Central America at the time as well as the lay of the land. He begins with the Toltecs and their overarching superiority as a civilization as well as the legend of Quetzalcoatl - important since it has a vital role in the story of the later Aztec or "Mexica".Frankly, the author spends little time on the Maya. The focus of this book is on central Mexico. Although the reader must wade through often difficult to pronounce names and words, there's a lot of solid military history. The states of central Mexico were bellicose and expansionist - as well as having religions based on human sacrifice. This is a topic ignored by many historians and numerous television specials, leaving the reader with the impression that the Americas were peaceful utopias until the bad, bad white people came.The reality is diametrically opposed with bloodthirsty kings and emperors leading armies of highly skilled, valiant and disciplined warriors against those of their neighbors. The pre-Columbian Americas were violent places where empires and city states vied with each other, making alliances, absorbing territories of weaker states and making war for plunder or expansion. One thing the reader will note is the commonality with warfare in the West, in Asia and all other places in the world. Some things are universal: discipline, training, logistics, alliances, ruse, strategem, etc.Most of the book focuses on the most successful people we have extensive documentary evidence of: the Aztec or Mexica. They rose slowly from a weak vassal of great empires to conqueror of most of central Mexico. This rise was based on one thing - their skill at war. The Mexica rose by dint of their skill at war and ended up reversing their position as vassal into leader of an alliance that was almost unstoppable in warfare.Another thing apparent to the reader is the absolute savagery of the pre-Columbian peoples. At the end of the day, despite their achievements, they were bloodthirsty and genocide was a standard practice (though emperors often spared particularly wealthy or productive populations for their own profit). The Aztec were the pinnacle of slaughter, sacrificing tens of thousands in a single festival and using relays of priests to continue the slaughter as some would tire, others would take over.This is very much a military history with very little (but, still, there is some) culture, literature, architecture, etc. The illustrations are very good and give the reader an idea of what these people, battles and cities looked like. But, for a military-oriented book, there's little about their weaponry. I was dissatisfied with the descriptions of their weapons and armor, Photos of reconstructed weapons were very much needed. Also, there was very little about their fighting formations.Still and all, this is a fine book and a solid four stars that I do recommend to those interested - or just wanting a change of pace in their military history reading.

A succinct yet comprehensive synthesis of extant and diffused sources into a flowing narrative that brings to life a history of my people. . .my history. I am a living inheritor of this history and the clash of two great civilizations. Peter Tsoras has given me a personal treasure. I trace my ancestors to Motecuzoma II and Cortés himself. Thank you Peter!

Very interesting. Even more so if it's true and or historacly correct. Well written and very readable.

Very interesting reading; I have both the audio and digitial version - needed to SEE and HEAR the words in the Nahuatl language. Caustion: as a history book, there are alot of names and dates - could be overwhelming at first.

The download on this book is non-funtional..... many pages are simply missing. A page will appear blank white with the sentence from previous page incomplete. There may be several pages missing each time this occurs, it's impossible to tell . In the first chapter alone, I've already encountered these blanks about every 5 pages.

Very detailed with situations. Better than expected.

Book

It was excellent and one of the more truthful ones out there. I have read a lot of books on the subject and even the diaries of the explorers and the natives that wrote in english or had their letters translated. It showed both sides of the events and how horrible they both were. The Spanish were not the only murderers and in fact tried to outlaw child sacrifice but the natives would not stop. Things like this that a PC book would never explain, even when its the truth. The point is, books are the closest thing to a time machine and i want the TRUTH no matter who looks bad or who looks good. Loved this book and I bought it as a gift too.

This is an excellently written book, well documented and well written. Reads like an adventure novel.The story line follows very precisely how the human sacrifices evolve from relatively rare special events to mind boggling horrors like the 84,000 sacrifices made to consecrate the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan. The architect of this horror, Tlacaélel, has a spot assured next to the other great genocidal maniacs of the human race. The aztecs definitely were some of the nastiest people to live on earth, ever.

Excellente

It’s a fascinating history of the Mexica/Aztec Empire from its origins to the downfall at the hands of Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors. The Empire was so alien to us in its savage religion which was based on human sacrifice of an extent that Western people find it difficult to grasp. The series of generally successful wars against the neighbouring city states is tribute to the quality of the Aztec monarchy. One criticism is that the Maya history is largely neglected to the point that the book’s title is somewhat misleading.

I’ve an interest in history and South America so enjoyable for me although some of the ancient names and titles are unpronounceable!