72-MAYA01 THE SACRIFICE I A PRISONER IS SACRIFICED, WARRIORS FIXATE IN WHILE THE PRIEST SWINGS HIS KNIFE

The Aztecs (another name: Mexicans) were originally a tribe that arrived in what is now northern Mexico around 1300 and which in a relatively short time created a very strong state with a high level of civilization and cultural development. It is worth adding that some researchers today call the Aztecs "the Indian nation". The capital of the Aztec state was called Tenochtitlan, and their state - if European names were used for it - could be called a relatively loose confederation of many Indian tribes subordinate to Tenochtitlan. The war in Aztec culture played a huge role. It was led not only for the purpose of plunder or conquest, but also for the purpose of capturing prisoners who would later be sacrificed to the gods. It was also assumed that the Aztec ruler should always be a talented and the best possible commander. It can be assumed that the Aztec armed forces were divided into two parts: calpolli and calpoleque. It is also worth adding that men from the Aztec social elite were members of "military societies" (sometimes called orders), which constituted a kind of army elite, and their warriors were very well trained and had a very high morale. Among them were soldiers called warrior-jaguar or warrior-eagle in Polish. The defensive armament of the Aztec warrior was relatively weak - it consisted mainly of a helmet and a shield made of wood and leather, and often also bird feathers. The armor was worn primarily by members "Military societies". In the case of the jaguar fighter, the armor was specially prepared skin of this wild cat. The offensive weapons used were spears, javelins, but most of all various types of hand-to-hand combat weapons - primarily macuahuitl , which is a kind of short sword with an obsidian blade. It is worth adding that the Aztecs also conducted the so-called flower wars (xochiyaoyotl, ang. Flower War), or wars of limited range, in a predetermined place and time, and the forces of both sides, which were primarily aimed at capturing prisoners for sacrifices to the gods.