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American History

The History of Teotihuacan

Introducing Teotihuacan

The history of Teotihuacan stands as a testament to the beauty and complexity of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Flourishing between 200 BCE and 650 CE, Teotihuacan was a massive city nestled in the highlands of central Mexico. As the trading capital of the Valley of Mexico, its influence extended far beyond its borders, shaping the economic and political landscape of the surrounding region. Despite the city’s decline over a thousand years ago, its monuments still inspire awe in thousands of visitors every year, and it has become one of the most important historical sites in the Americas. Though centuries have passed since its demise, archaeological excavations have begun to unveil the secrets of Teotihuacan, shedding light on its rise to power, its extensive roots in regional trade, its interactions with neighboring cities, and the ultimate mystery of its decline. 

Teotihuacan and its neighboring city-states.
The World Stage

The history of Teotihuacan’s emergence onto the world stage began around 200 BCE. At this time, the Valley of Mexico was inhabited mostly by farmers who all came together and had a brilliant idea: let’s build a massive city the likes of which the world has never seen. At least that’s how I like to imagine it happened. In reality, it was likely due to the fertile soil and the destruction of neighboring cities from volcanoes that caused immigrants to pour into the Valley of Mexico. These settlers brought new technologies, cultures, religious beliefs, and of course the most important practice known to man – trade (a.k.a. money).

Everyone loves sweet, sweet money. Even in ancient Mesoamerica.

Now, trade is really what catapulted theTeotihuacanos out of the dark age of the pre-Columbian Americas. Thanks to the lush obsidian mines that dot its countryside, Teotihuacan soon found itself as a center of trade for valuable stones. Obsidian, jade, ceramics, and many other valuables filled the marketplaces of the city, and from this newfound wealth, it would grow to be a regional power in the Valley of Mexico. It wouldn’t take long for almost all trade in the area to flow through Teotihuacan, and its artifacts were traded everywhere from Guatemala to the Yucatan Peninsula. 

The Age of Construction

So imagine this: you’re the child of extremely wealthy parents who on a whim one day decide to give you your entire inheritance. What do you do? Do you stash it away in your savings account, keeping it as your rainy day fund? Maybe you splurge a little and buy a fancy car, or an apartment downtown to show off to your friends. Well if you’re a ruler of Teotihuacan, not only do you buy the apartment, you buy the entire apartment complex and build the road it sits on for good measure. 

From around 1CE to 350CE the city of Teotihuacan experienced an explosion in building construction. Temples, pyramids, and of course, apartment complexes were built on grand scales. The most famous projects completed during this era were the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. Both of these earth-mound pyramids have stood the test of time and show that the Teotihuacanos were extremely skilled craftsmen and potentially empire builders. The Avenue of the Dead complex which houses these monuments is visited by thousands of tourists every year who can’t help but wonder what life must’ve been like for a trust fund baby in Teotihuacan.

The Pyramid of the Sun. Image courtesy of Daniel Chase.
The Classical Era

Teotihuacan’s Classical Era lasted from 350 CE to 650 CE. During this time the city was the powerhouse of Mesoamerica and was home to over 100,000 people, making it one of the largest cities in the world at that time. The leaders of Teotihuacan experimented with empire-building during their classical age, as their presence is noted in important events across the Yukotan peninsula. A 378 coup d’etat in Tikal, the founding of the city of Copan, and the subsequent colonization of Quirigua all have associations with the elite of Teotihuacan.

The Fall of Teotihuacan

When examining all great peoples of the past there is always an end. For example, the Byzantines had 1453 and the fall of Constantinople, Benjamin Franklin ran out of things to be good at, and though I still don’t like to admit it Game of Thrones was canceled after 6 glorious seasons. The same can be said about Teotihuacan. In the 7th century CE there appears to have been severe upheaval within the city. Either a drought, internal power struggle, or widespread revolt lead to the burning of the city center, and it would never recover. Teotihuacan was still inhabited sure, but it had had its time in the limelight. That was until the Aztecs discovered the city some 700 years later and included it as part of their creation myth. But that is a story for another day.

Hoags’ Hypothesis

In doing research for this article it really came to my attention how little Americans know about Teotihuacan. In school, they teach you all about the Pyramids of Giza and the glorious cities of ancient Rome and Athens but hardly mention pre-Columbian Mexico had a city that could rival them. I mean THE THIRD LARGEST PYRAMID IN THE WORLD is the Pyramid of the Sun, yet most people don’t even know it exists and it is 45 minutes outside of Mexico City! Well, I guess that’s just the American education system for ya.

Anyway, my ranting aside I hope you enjoyed this piece. I’m getting pretty close to recapping the European explorers so that’s something to look forward to. Comment which explorers you want me to write about down below and I might just consider it.