Page 22 - All About History - Issue 54-17

AZTECS

Day in the life

A TĒLPOCHCALLI

STUDENT

LIFE WAS TOUGH FOR WARRIORS IN TRAINING

CENTRAL MEXICO, 1428-1521

For the sons of lower class Aztec citizens, military service
was mandatory and their training was provided by schools
called tēlpochcalli. There was at least one tēlpochcalli in each
calpulli, or city ward, and they were staffed by accomplished
veteran soldiers often only slightly older than the students.
Boys trained at these schools from the age of 15, having
previously been educated at home by their parents,
and were taught discipline, bravery and respect
through hard labour and brutal punishments. If they
achieved success as warriors, they could elevate
their status in society and even become teachers
themselves, helping to secure the future of the
Aztec Empire.
START WORK

Each morning began with a cold bath,
followed by domestic chores such
as sweeping, cleaning and farming
to help teach the students discipline.
They were then required to work in
teams, building and repairing aqueducts,
Building projects promoted
canals and other city infrastructure as teamwork and also helped the city
a way of encouraging cooperation and
strengthening their sense of civic duty.
HEAVY LIFTING

Every day, firewood and tree branches had to be
collected from nearby forests and carried back to
the school to be used for heating and decoration.
As the boys got older, they would have to carry
more and more weight on their backs, helping
to build up their strength and preparing them
for transporting heavy supplies and weapons
into battle.
COMBAT TRAINING

Veteran warriors were tasked with teaching the
boys martial arts and showing them how to handle
weapons such as spears, arrows and macuahuitls, a
type of Aztec sword. If the veteran went to war, his
students would serve as his apprentices in battle,
at first tasked with just carrying his equipment but
eventually helping him to capture enemy prisoners.
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