Aztec Wars and Warriors vs. Zapotec Wars and Warriors
Social: Aztec warriors are similar to Zapotec warriors in that they were both regarded as higher in the social hierarchy than the average commoner. What changed in the Aztec warriors was that they could climb up in the social ladder. For example, a person might start out as a slave and then become a warrior. After having killed enough people the warrior would then be at about the same social status as a noble. This was not the case with Zapotec warriors.
Cultural: In both cultures war was a big part of their culture. Ever since both civilizations were created there was war between them and neighboring cities. This caused war to be a big part of who the Zapotecs and the Aztecs were. A difference is that Aztecs took the wars to a whole other level. While the Zapotecs simply waged war to expand their territory the Aztecs would wage a war for something trivial.
Religious: War was never a big part of Zapotecan religion. The only time when Zapotecs waged war for religion was when the High Priest said that a certain city must fall in order for nature to be balanced. This is completely different from the Aztecs. The Aztecs waged war to get more people to worship their God, Huitzilopotlchi. Every conquered city must convert or be killed. Many people were killed anyways since the Aztecs also waged war in order to get more people to sacrifice. The Aztecs sacrificed so many that they started a whole set of wars, the Flowery Wars, because they ran out of people to sacrifice.
Cultural: In both cultures war was a big part of their culture. Ever since both civilizations were created there was war between them and neighboring cities. This caused war to be a big part of who the Zapotecs and the Aztecs were. A difference is that Aztecs took the wars to a whole other level. While the Zapotecs simply waged war to expand their territory the Aztecs would wage a war for something trivial.
Religious: War was never a big part of Zapotecan religion. The only time when Zapotecs waged war for religion was when the High Priest said that a certain city must fall in order for nature to be balanced. This is completely different from the Aztecs. The Aztecs waged war to get more people to worship their God, Huitzilopotlchi. Every conquered city must convert or be killed. Many people were killed anyways since the Aztecs also waged war in order to get more people to sacrifice. The Aztecs sacrificed so many that they started a whole set of wars, the Flowery Wars, because they ran out of people to sacrifice.
Zapotec Warlords
Political: A big reason why both cultures waged war and had so many warriors was in order to conquer other cities, so that they could expand their empire's territory. This created exponential growth of the empires and built many new political ties.
Economical: The many wars that both of these civilizations won ended with a new conquered city, and each conquered city had to pay tribute to their new rulers. This improved both empire's economy drastically. One difference is that the Zapotecs conquered others to get more tribute simply because they wanted to. On the other hand the Aztecs pretty much didn't have a choice. The Aztecs were so densely populated in an area where it was very hard to cultivate food that there was a lack of food for a while. The only way to survive this lack of food was to conquer new land that would pay tribute so that the Aztec people may be well fed.
Economical: The many wars that both of these civilizations won ended with a new conquered city, and each conquered city had to pay tribute to their new rulers. This improved both empire's economy drastically. One difference is that the Zapotecs conquered others to get more tribute simply because they wanted to. On the other hand the Aztecs pretty much didn't have a choice. The Aztecs were so densely populated in an area where it was very hard to cultivate food that there was a lack of food for a while. The only way to survive this lack of food was to conquer new land that would pay tribute so that the Aztec people may be well fed.