Question: what role did human sacrifice play in aztec civilization

title: Human sacrifice in Aztec culture
text: Tezcatlipoca was generally considered the most powerful god , the god of night , sorcery and destiny ( the name tezcatlipoca means `` smoking mirror '' , or `` obsidian '' ) , and the god of the north . The Aztecs believed that Tezcatlipoca created war to provide food and drink to the gods . Tezcatlipoca was known by several epithets including `` the Enemy '' and `` the Enemy of Both Sides '' , which stress his affinity for discord . He was also deemed the enemy of Quetzalcoatl , but an ally of Huitzilopochtli . Tezcatlipoca had the power to forgive sins and to relieve disease , or to release a man from the fate assigned to him by his date of birth ; however , nothing in Tezcatlipoca 's nature compelled him to do so . He was capricious and often brought about reversals of fortune , such as bringing drought and famine . He turned himself into Mixcoatl , the god of the hunt , to make fire . To the Aztecs , he was an all - knowing , all - seeing nearly all - powerful god . One of his names can be translated as `` He Whose Slaves We Are '' .