Empire and imperialism: Aztec and Inca

Did empires help to shape world history? There have been various types of empire. One was the archaic type. Of the few American examples, the Aztecs and Incas are the best known. Both had features in common with Old World cases such as the Assyrian, Han or Roman empires and both were certainly imperialist but their structures and policies differed from each other markedly. Did they have similar effects, then? Or has their historical significance been exaggerated on account of their mighty monuments? What do the Aztecs and Incas suggest about Old World empires?

Course details

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Start Date

2 Aug 2026

Duration

5 Sessions over one week

End Date

8 Aug 2026

Application Deadline

28 Jun 2026

Location

International Summer Programme

Code

W45Am24

Tutors

Dr Nicholas James

Consultant; Lecturer in Social Anthropology, Magdalene College

Aims

This course aims to:

introduce the histories of the Aztecs and the Incas
assess the nature of Aztec and Inca imperialism
encourage awareness of the sources of evidence for the Aztecs and the Incas

Course content

The Aztecs and Incas were contemporaries and their short but dramatic histories — from fractious villagers to haughty inter-regional dominance — were alike. Yet, considering that (before the sudden arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores) those histories were quite separate, comparison can perhaps reveal the principal conditions for empires in the ancient world.

Aztec and Inca organization were quite unalike. Arguably, the goal of both empires was economic security; but, if the Incas' concern was with variable economic yields throughout the Central Andes, the Aztecs' was mainly stability and sustainability in their burgeoning capital city. Where the Incas tried to regulate their subjects' everyday lives, Aztec rule was so indirect that, seen from the great metropolis, it scarcely looked like imperialism. Yet, contrasting administrations, politics and ideologies notwithstanding, archaeological evidence now suggests that the respective regimes' principal effects on provincial economies were similar.

Our exploration will start with a general discussion of imperialism in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans 500 years ago. Then we shall trace the rise and development of the Aztec and Inca empires, their forms of government and the ideas and symbols that were exploited to support the two regimes. Lastly, we shall consider whether these empires - and, by implication, others in the ancient world -were positive achievements or only symptoms of social, political or economic problems.

The history of research on the Aztecs and Incas has produced a bewildering variety of accounts. Can we achieve a convincing view today? Or is every generation apt only to project its own preoccupations onto these fascinating civilizations?

What to expect on this course

The course will comprise illustrated lectures designed to encourage discussion.

Course sessions

Archaic imperialism in the Americas
Historical trajectories
Administration
Ideology
Strong or weak?

Learning outcomes

As a result of the course, you will gain a greater understanding of the subject and you should be able to:

have enhanced awareness of factors and issues in the history of ancient empires
have awareness of the principal features of prehispanic American imperialism
have awareness of theoretical and methodological issues in historical comparison
have enhanced competence and confidence in assembling, handling and assessing argument and evidence

Required reading

There is no required reading for this course. See Course materials for supplementary reading once registered.