Toltec (Civ3)/Civilopedia

The Toltec Empire originated in Central Mexico circa 900 AD, with the establishment of the capital Tula. Descendant from the northern Teotihuacán culture, the Toltecs expanded throughout most of Mexico, and as far south as Guatemala and the Yucatan peninsula (where they conquered land previously controlled by the Maya). A highly religious and militaristic culture, little is truely known about the Toltecs, save through stories preserved by later cultures. But one thing is clear: the Toltecs possessed many of the same cultural traits as other Mesoamerican societies (love of ball games and the jaguar, human sacrifice, body ornamentation, pyramid building, etc.), and in many cases, highly influenced those traits. In fact, so great was the Toltec influence on future Mesoamerican peoples, that many Aztec and Mayan kings proudly proclaimed their Toltec ancestory.