Aztec Warriors and Weapons
By Riley Jones
The beginning of a war
The Aztecs would send an ambassador to the particular city they want to conquer and offer protection. They would say all the advantages of trading with the empire. If they refuse then more ambassadors would be sent and the talk would be more about destruction and death.
Warriors: Regular Aztec Warriors
The first kind of warrior was just the regular units. They were formed into companies called Calpuli. each one was divided into fourths and led by nobles from the region. Twenty calpultin were placed at the Aztec capital and were led by the emperors family.
Warrior: Elite Aztec Warriors
The noble class also formed special military elite units. They were formed by warrior societies like the eagle and jaguar or the dreaded Shorn Ones. The sons of each of these nobles were expected to join one of these societies and go through the ranks. Each society had a different style of dress, tactics, and equipment and also body paint.
Warrior: Eagle and Jaguar warrior societies
The biggest warrior societies were the Eagle and the Jaguar.They dressed like what they were called and were located in the ceremonial are of Tenochtitlan. Eagles were covered with feathers and wore head with an eagle on it while looking out of a beak. Jaguars were covered in pelts And associated themselves the the god of the night. To be able to join these societies a man must capture a prisoner alive.
Warrior: The Otomies
The Otomies were another warrior society. They were fierce warriors and allies of the Aztec. They were very helpful allies and were mercenaries for them. The Otomi people were one of the early Mesoamerican cultures and were likely the original inhabitants to Mexico.
Warrior: The Shorn ones
The Shorn Ones were the most prestigious warrior society at the time. They were called that because their heads were shaven except for a braid over the left ear. They paint their heads blue on one side and red and yellow on the other. They took an oath to never take a step backwards in a battle and to never fear the pain of death. The officers could be identified because they carried long poles with feathers and banners on them.
Armor
Aztec warriors wore something called ichahuipilli, which was a quilted cotton armor. The vests were about 1 to 2 fingers think and were resistant to obsidian swords, arrows, and altali darts. The light armor was good for the hot climate of Central America. They also used small round shields that were called chimali. These were mad of wood and twisted fibers. These shields had painted designs and feathers on them. Other shields were made of very thick cotton.
Weapons
The Aztecs didn't know how to forge using metals most of their weapons were made of wood and obsidian. They used a sword like weapon called the Macuahiuti. this was made with obsidian blades all down the blade. This blade could easily decapitate a man. Another weapon used was the tepoztopilli. It was about the size of a man. It had a spear shaped head that was about 6-8 inches wide. They also used different clubs and hatchets. For long range they used bows and slings.
Citations
"Aztec Warriors." Ancient. Ancient Military, 2012. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.
dfjfj Jaguar: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/07/aa/3b/07aa3bc442c977ef2fba105934eb7959.jpg
The Otomi: http://40.media.tumblr.com/e8b2aafcb19e5dce38aadda690ec96d9/tumblr_npv7ccp3Jn1u6oeoao1_r1_1280.jpg
Elite Aztec warriors: https://thelosttreasurechest.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/adam-hook-showing-a-elite-warrior-of-the-aztec-empire.jpg
The Shield: https://nuevomundo.revues.org/docannexe/image/1447/img-1.jpg
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