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Basic Aztec Facts: AZTEC WARRIORS

13th Jun 2021

Model of an Aztec (Mexica) eagle warrior in the clouds

One expert wrote that in Tenochtitlan (the Aztec capital city) ‘every man, whatever his origin, either was a warrior or wished to be one... A boy-child was dedicated to war at his birth. His umbilical cord was buried together with a shield and some little arrows, and in a set speech he was told that he had come into this world to fight.’ The Mexica (Aztecs) were a warrior people! (Written by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

Tezcatlipoca (‘Smoking Mirror’) was the god who ruled over the regular Aztec school called telpochcalli (‘house of the young men’), where most boys went, aged 6-7. Each district had one, and it gave Aztec boys ‘an education for the war in which the Mexican boy longed to shine.’

At the age of 10, boys had their hair cut with a lock of hair left on the back of the neck. The lock was called a piochtli, and they were not allowed to cut if off until they’d managed to capture a prisoner in battle, even if it meant 2 or 3 joining efforts to do so. Once you’d taken a prisoner, you’d started up the ranks, which earned you more and richer rewards according to how successful you were in fighting. You could earn gifts of clothing, slaves, even whole private estates with peasants to work the land for you.

‘From the ranks of the successful warriors were chosen the captains, directors of schools, tax gatherers, judges, and a host of minor officials. Although noble birth was an advantage, promotion was by merit, and any soldier who managed to capture 4 prisoners gained automatic entry into the ruling class.’ So you could literally fight your way up from common soldier to general!

Warriors didn’t wear uniforms. ‘Each soldier dressed as he thought fit, putting on all the trappings to which his rank and military record entitled him, so that a warrior’s status was obvious at once from his costume, insignia, and even hair style.’ Top ranks were Eagle and Jaguar Knights - though there was an even higher rank (follow the link below to learn more...)

For Mexica warriors, ‘death in battle, or better still, death on the stone of sacrifice, was the promise of a happy eternity; for a warrior who was killed in the field or on the altar was sure of becoming one of the “companions of the eagle”, one of those who accompanied the sun from its rising to its zenith in a procession that blazed with light and was splendid with joy, and then of being reincarnated as a hummingbird, to live for ever among the flowers.’

So élite (top-ranking) Aztec warriors ‘were wealthy men, with their fine houses, many servants, brilliant clothes and jewels, well-filled store-houses and coffers. But it must be remembered that this was a wealth that came only after honourable achievements and as a consequence of them. A man was wealthy because he was honoured, not honoured because he was wealthy.’