AskHistorians

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Precolumbian Mesoamerica, despite the lack of beasts of burden, had merchants, messengers, diplomats, and even foreign kings travelling to other cities for religious and political occasions: Do we know where and how travellers would be accommodated in a foreign city or town?	209
In Mesoamerican military attire/armor, specifically Aztec/Nahua, is Ēhuatl the same thing as Tlahuiztl? If not, what exactly is the distinction?	112
Insignia of Rank in the Nahua World makes states that the Jaguar and Eagle noble orders of the Mexica military are ""a myth of the moden scholarly literature", citing Dyckerhoff 1998. What is Duckerhoff argueing in her work, and what is the historical consensus on her claims?	103
While looking at art of Mesoamerican soldiers, i'veseen a weapon that appears to be a sort of a Macuahuitl with a pole length handle, sort of like a glaive, but none of the books i've read have mentioned anything like it: What codex/manuscript or account does it originate from?	45
What was going on in the Andes from 2000 BC to 0ad? My understanding is that Caral arose in 3000 BC and was abandoned by 2000 BC, and later urban cultures and state societies such as the Wari, Moche, & Tiwanku aren't seen till the turn of the millennium. Was urbanism lost?	40
The Wikipedia article for El Tajin mentions that it might have been built by the "Xapaneca". I haven't come across them before while looking into Mesoamerica: Who were they and how do they fit into our understanding of the region.	27
In the recently released first chapter of the Aztec Empire comic, it is stated that the total population of the Aztec empire is 20 million people. Is this accurate? How has our understanding of Mesoamerican population sizes changed over time?	23
What was Cortes's actual initial intention regarding the Aztec empire? Did he always plan to conquer Tenochtitlan, or was he initially legitimately open to diplomacy or a more hands off form of control, such as making it a vassal state?	22
How were people from foreign cities, be they merchants, diplomats, messengers or just travelers housed in Mesoamerican cities and towns? Was there an equivalent of an Inn?	17
When looking at Archaeological maps at the Maya city of Palenque, most of it's buildings are tightly packed together, rather then the sort of gradual less dense, spread out sprawl of most other Mesoamerican cities. Why is this, and how unusual is it?	17

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