Aztec Social Classes Essay

491 Words2 Pages
As for the social classes of the Aztec Empire, there were only technically two classes: ordinary people/commoners and the nobles/elites. Other than these two principle classes, there were various diverse positions that worked like sub-classes. Micheal D. Coe & Rex Koonts state that “Elite members of the group provided its commoner members with arable land and/or nonagricultral occupations, in return for which the commoners would perform various services for their chiefs and render them tribute.” (194) Slavery did exist but it was to an extent. Being a slave, or a tlacotli, was not inherited, and there were different opportunities for a slave to gain their freedom. On the off chance that somebody was in financial trouble, they could offer…show more content…
Skilled workers and merchants, for instance, held a higher social status in the public eye. Merchants were a benefit class with the capacity to travel and arrangement in profitable objects, they had a certain measure of flexibility numerous Aztecs commoners didn't have. Noblemen were up next in the social ladder and they were all considered to be “sons of lords” (Coe & Koonts 195). They were rich and powerful and they could do almost anything they wanted to as long as they had power. At the very top was the emperor or ruler of the whole city. The emperor, who was always a male, had absolute power and they were entitled to wearing the clothes of the utmost rich. The gender role of an Aztec male was usually to take an interest in war. If a man were capture prisoners, he would also expand his reputation in his name. In the matter of capturing prisoners, the more he gets the more his stature and fame increase also. Men weren't just expected to be solid warriors, they also were expected to be excellent seekers and gatherers. A father was in charge of putting nourishment on the table and keeping his family

    More about Aztec Social Classes Essay

      Open Document