Engineering an Empire

S01E05 Aztecs

In under two centuries, the Aztecs evolved from a group of nomadic wanderers into the most advanced civilization in the New World. Surviving records suggest that they achieved this remarkable transformation through strategic military conquests and clever technological innovations that helped them thrive in a challenging environment. They established their capital in an unlikely location: the center of a lake. The Aztecs also engaged in large-scale human sacrifice, creating numerous adversaries. When the Spaniards arrived, they easily found local tribes willing to ally against the Aztecs. Join host Peter Weller as we explore the remarkable architecture and infrastructure of this great, yet ultimately doomed, indigenous society.